ANTENNA TOWER - SPECIAL REPORT
LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN ANTENNA TOWER DATA
The 3000-acre residential area includes 28 different parcels with 17 different owners at three concentrated areas. Construction of the “Scenic” Lariat Trail from Golden to Lookout in 1914 (to Buffalo Bill’s Grave in 1917) and construction of U.S. Highway 40 through Mount Vernon Canyon in 1937 provided easiest and best known foothills access.
There were 250 homes (in 1920s plats) in 1952 when the first tower was erected. All equipment now on sites were added after JeffCo mountain plats were zoned “residential” in 1955. The “non-conforming” sites cannot be expanded or enlarged. (see Lookout Mountain Tower Owners).
Altitude: 6,950 to 7480 feet
Visual Impact: 30+ “towers” at three locations
Paint, Lighting: Seven towers (from 850- to 300-feet high) are painted and lighted at night.
Wildlife & Recreation Impact: Surrounded by JeffCo’s Lookout Mountain Nature Center and JeffCo’s Apex and Windy Saddle Open Space Parks accessed from Golden and Heritage Square.
Population at same or higher altitude within 3 miles: 3,500 (including Mount Vernon Country Club, established 1922)
Total Population within 3 mile radius: 30,000 (Golden 16,000; Pleasant View 5,000; Mount Vernon Canyon 9,000)
National Historic Registered Sites within 3 miles: Lariat Scenic Drive, Beaver Brook Trail, Buffalo Bill’s Grave, Pahaska Lodge, Lookout Mountain Park, Colorow Point, Boettcher Mansion, Genesee Park, Mother Cabrini stone house, Magic Mountain paleontology site.
Existing Effected Radiated Power: 10.5 Megawatts (not including KUSA’s radar device without a permit that is capabile of sending a billion watts into family homes every 63 seconds)
Research Facility interference: Colorado School of Mines, National Renewable Laboratory, Boulder “Quiet Zone” and many high-tec businesses and laboratories in Greater Golden area.
Access: Well-maintained, paved residential roads designed in 1890 by Frederick Olmsted. Daily access not necessary as radio frequencies (RF) are managed with point-to-point microwave devices from Denver offices or engineer’s residence to devices on towers. Complexity of power lines and towers too risky for helicoptors.
Zoning: All except two are non-conforming use of residential-zoned lots (see owner details)
Zoning Violations: Numerous citations, including towers built and devices added without permits. All violations reported by citizen attorneys & engineers (no JeffCo monitoring); public areas exceed electromagnetic radiation limits (most liberal of Western world. Fewer than 50 JeffCo electrical permits have been issued for 1000+ devices registered to Lookout by the FCC.
Wind/Weather: Extreme high winds & lightning; Towers failed in the 1950s; Ice dropping from towers and guy wires have damaged homes.
Metro Population Coverage: 2,600,000
Coverage Shadow areas: Boulder, Broomfield, East of North and South Table Mountain, South and East of Green Mountain, South & West Ken Caryl. Signals blocked by Genesee Mountain do not reach Evergreen population of 25,000. Multipathing from Lookout to Table Mountains and back to Lookout and Zion causes multiple ghosting images reception for 16,000 in Golden.
Best Known coverage: TV: KWGN, KCNC, KRMA, KMGH, KUSA, KDVR, KCEC. Radio: KOSI, KALK, KRFX, KBPI, KKHK, KFMD.
Repeaters Needed: 3 to 4 to fill shadowing.
On-site Engineer residence: Adjacent homes possible.
Market value of site: $$1,710,622.
Real Estate Property Tax: $38,368.
For more details see:
Lookout Antenna Tower Property Owners
History of Antenna Tower Struggle
“Grandfathered” land use not protected by “Takings Law”
Profiles of Genesee/Lookout/Mount Vernon Neighborhoods
Early development plans for Lookout Mountain Resort in 1890 by Frederick Law Olmsted
Public Attractions in the Genesee/Lookout/Mount Vernon community
Brief History of Mt. Vernon Canyon
History of the Lariat Trail Legacy
More Antenna Tower features at Antenna Tower Update.
Below: Red circle shows 3-mile radius around Lookout Mountain antenna tower site.
