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Application cont'd._3 EXHIBIT E PROJECT COMPLIANCE WITH THE USE VARIANCE STANDARDS OF TOWN OF QUEENSBURY CODE § 179-14-080(B) As discussed in Exhibit C,the legal standard applicable to Verizon Wireless is the standard afforded to public utilities,rather than the standard to be generally applied. As demonstrated below,the Project also complies with the Town of Queensbury's requirements and standards for Use Variance. The following Town of Queensbury standards are set forth in § 179- 14-080(B) of the Town of Queensbury Code(the Town's requirements are outlined below in bold italicized type with Verizon Wireless' response in regular type). 1. The applicant cannot realize a reasonable return,provided that return is substantial as demonstrated by competent financial evidence. Siting the proposed wireless telecommunications facility in the proposed location is not a function of applicant's desire to realize a reasonable financial return. Rather, applicant's desire to site the proposed wireless telecommunications facility in the proposed location is to remedy inadequacies in coverage and capacity and to provide reliance wireless telecommunications coverage in the Town of Queensbury and surrounding areas. See Exhibit F. 2. The alleged hardship relating to the property in question is unique, and does not apply to a substantial portion of the district or neighborhood. The alleged hardship is unique and is a function of Verizon Wireless' need to construct public utility infrastructure in the proposed site location to achieve necessary improvements in coverage and capacity inadequacies, as detailed in Exhibit F. 3. That the requested Use Variance, if granted will not alter the essential character of the neighborhood. The requested Use Variance, if granted,will not alter the essential character of the neighborhood. The proposed tower(and related ancillary facilities)will be sited in a tall stand of trees and will be shielded from adjacent uses. Further,the proposed tower is being constructed at the minimum height necessary to achieve the desired RF objectives. See Exhibits F and Q. 4. That the alleged hardship has not been self-created. The alleged hardship is not self-created but rather is a function of Verizon Wireless' need to construct a wireless telecommunications facility in a specific location to achieve desired RF objectives and provide essential wireless telecommunications coverage in the Town of Queensbury and surrounding areas. 14514758.1 wireless 225 Jordan Road Troy, New York 12180 SITE SELECTION/DESIGN ANALYSIS "PILOT KNOB" WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATIONS FACILITY TOWN OF QUEENSBURY, NY Verizon Wireless proposes to construct, operate and maintain a new wireless telecommunications facility ("wireless telecommunications facility") on property owned by Lost Chalets, LLC, located off of Lockhart Mountain Road in the Town of Queensbury, Warren County, NY (90± ft. monopine structure which includes an 86± ft. monopole support tower with a 4±ft. ornamental cap). This proposed facility (referred to internally as "Pilot Knob") is specifically intended to address a significant coverage gap in the Verizon Wireless network in and around the central Lake George area including the northern portions of the Town of Queensbury and southern portions of the Town of Bolton. This report documents the process by which the proposed Pilot Knob wireless telecommunications facility was located. It includes a description of the need for and development of the Pilot Knob "search area", steps taken to locate sites based on Adirondack Park Agency guidelines, a summary of the locations evaluated as alternative sites, and why the proposed site is best suited to satisfy the Pilot Knob coverage objectives. General Methodology Generally speaking, Verizon Wireless designs and builds sites to expand service into areas currently uncovered, or fill in gaps where coverage is inadequate. Population centers, entertainment venues, mass transit, large public gathering places, and major highways and thoroughfares are a few examples of areas typically targeted, but customer demand and expectation to use their Verizon Wireless mobile devices at all times and everywhere they live, work and play has driven the need to expand coverage deeper into rural areas, and along secondary and local roads. Additionally, the reliance on mobile telecommunications for access to emergency services in remote locations has become an important factor in the need for expanded coverage. Once an area has been recognized as requiring new or improved wireless telecommunication coverage, the area is broken up into one or more sub-regions called "cells", with the intent that each cell could conceivably be served by one properly placed wireless telecommunications facility or site. As an example, in a rural environment or along flat stretches of highway one cell may cover 10 or 15 miles from end-to-end; where a densely-populated city center may require a cell 1/8 mile or less from end-to-end. Once a cell is defined, Verizon Wireless Radio Frequency ("RF") Engineers, through the use of industry- accepted propagation and simulation models, create "search areas" that through analysis (assuming ample height, unobstructed view over most of the target area, etc.) would cover or serve the entire cell. Locations outside the search area boundary generally do not contain the inherent characteristics (sufficient ground elevation, unobstructed view over surrounding clutter, etc.) to provide sufficient coverage to the cell from a single location. Typically, a cell objective is to maximize coverage in population centers and major transportation corridors. Through a series of cells (e.g., along a 100 mile stretch of highway), search areas must be created so the cells (or sites) are close enough together to provide seamless coverage, but also properly spaced so as not to interfere with one another or create an area of poor-to-no coverage between adjoining sites. In theory, this required spacing creates a "cellular" grid, or honeycomb-like, pattern. However, this pattern can be distorted as the coverage area of a cell site varies with factors such as 14554620 2 - 2 - population, topography and vegetation. In addition, in areas of poor coverage, cells may be placed with consideration of future sites to be built. In this case, although there may be handoff from one adjacent cell, the next cell may not yet exist. Another consideration when designing search areas is to maximize the amount of power available in critical targets (towns, airports, malls, highways, etc.) within the search area, which requires placing the site as close to the critical area as possible. Wireless telecommunications transmissions are broadcast at a very low power level (compared to radio and TV), and any obstruction (man-made or natural) between the transmit/receive antennas and target reception area significantly reduces the amount of power available for the mobile device user. Hills, mountains, buildings and even foliage can block (or attenuate) a significant portion, if not all, of the transmitted signal before it reaches the end user (customer). It is for this reason that coverage is generally better in the winter (no leaves) than in the summer. Due to these factors, not all locations within a cell will provide adequate coverage, and the search areas are typically designed and placed in or as close to the critical target area as possible. For instance, sites planned to cover towns or small population centers within the boundaries of the Adirondack Park must be positioned close to the town or population center, and as close to the center of the cell as possible. Alternately, there are long, isolated stretches of roadways between towns and population centers that are often just as critical a target area for signal coverage. As a result of the RF Engineer's analysis and search area creation, Verizon Wireless' Real Estate (Site Acquisition) Team is able to focus their search on a much smaller geographic sub-region(s) within the cell to acquire potential site candidates, as the new facility must be located in (or very near) the search area in order to meet the coverage objectives of that cell. Most importantly, the Real Estate Team looks for potential sites within the search area that are both technically appropriate and sensible from a zoning and land use perspective. Subject to technical limitations, a site search generally proceeds as follows: existing tall structures, industrial zones, commercial zones, agricultural zones and lastly residential zones. Municipal properties can be located within any zoning district; therefore, these properties are evaluated with respect to the surrounding properties. Within the boundaries of the Adirondack Park, special consideration is given to locations in areas designated as "Hamlet". The Real Estate Team may find or submit, based on their field research and area visit, candidates outside of the defined search area for consideration, but these candidates almost always result in compromised coverage to one or more critical targeted locations within the desired coverage area. Following the Real Estate Team's analysis, all feasible candidates are submitted to Verizon Wireless' RF Engineering for review against coverage objectives. RF Engineering uses computer modeling and simulation to analyze each potential site, approves or rejects the candidates accordingly, and ranks the qualified candidates based on how well they satisfy RF requirements. With potential candidates identified that appear feasible to all parties, leases are negotiated. final design plans formulated, and the sites submitted to appropriate governmental bodies for approval and ultimately built and placed on air. Adirondack Park— General Design Methodology Unlike typical expansion areas and build-outs, the Adirondack Park presents significant complexity in design and site selection, particularly the need to meet the Adirondack Park Agency's tower siting guideline requiring "substantial invisibility". With ''substantial invisibility' in mind, Verizon Wireless typically targets locations where tower height can be kept to a minimum, generally off of the crest of hilltops so there is ample natural tree cover and/or hills and mountains behind the tower, and also identifying parcels requiring the minimum amount of tree clearing and access road distance to preserve as many old growth trees as possible. These constraints often result in much tighter cell spacing (distance between sites to ensure reliable handoff between adjoining sites) and significantly reduced search area sizes compared to a typical non-Adirondack Park search area. In addition to "substantial invisibility' and tower height limitations, mountainous terrain and heavy foliage throughout the Adirondack Park, coupled with the need to place sites close to and approximately centered near the area of interest, result in only a small number of hilltops or properties within a given Adirondack Park cell capable of satisfying APA tower siting guidelines, meeting RF coverage objectives and being feasible from a land-use perspective. Also, the rugged terrain and thick tree cover forces the need to minimize the distance to existing roads and facilities to reduce tree cutting on long access roads 14554620.2 - 3 - and utility runs further complicates the site selection process. Given these hefty constraints, Adirondack Park search areas and cells often contain limited options (both from an RF and land-use perspective), and given the drastic elevation changes often a tens of feet shift in site location is the difference between a very good site and one that covers very little and makes no sense to pursue. These constraints provide significant obstacles toward finding sites capable of covering several miles of highway or adequately serving population centers including several miles of connecting secondary roads in and out of a given area from a single location (minimizing the overall number of sites limits their visual impact on the Park and makes the most sense from a network design perspective). Coverage Objectives Deployment of the proposed Pilot Knob cell site is an important step in Verizon Wireless' long- term plan to provide safe (including E-911 capability), reliable and uninterrupted wireless telecommunications coverage to the main travel routes and population centers in the Adirondack Park. As demonstrated by Exhibit 1 (attached to this report), there is little-to-no existing coverage to the roadways and majority of homes, tourist areas and businesses in central Lake George or along NY State Routes 9N (NY-9N/Lake Shore Drive) and 9L (NY-9L/Ridge Road) in the northern portion of the Town of Queensbury or southern portion of the Town of Bolton (the "Pilot Knob Cell"). When viewing Exhibit 1, existing -85 dBm level coverage' is depicted by blue-grey shaded areas while areas with white background are outside the -85 dBm coverage boundary and are in need of new and/or improved service. The yellow region depicts future coverage from a planned future Verizon Wireless facility in the Town of Queensbury called "Glen Lake". The specific Pilot Knob cell coverage objectives are to provide new emergency and non- emergency wireless telecommunications coverage to the main populated and tourist areas along NY-9N generally from northern Lake George Village to the Basin Bay/southern Bolton Landing Hamlet area in the Town of Bolton, along NY-9L generally north of NY State Route 149 (NY-149) to and including Warner Bay, Harris Bay and Dunham Bay in the Town of Queensbury, and along Pilot Knob Rd extending north of NY-149 and following the eastern shore of Lake George in the Town of Fort Ann. Calculated coverage from the proposed new facility (at an antenna center line ("ACL") height of 77 ft.) is illustrated as the green region at Exhibit 2. As proposed. the Pilot Knob facility will offer reliable coverage to the populated residential, tourist and commercial areas in the central Lake George region along the main travel routes described previously which includes more than 8 linear miles along NY-9L (Ridge Rd), 3.7± miles along NY-9N (Lake Shore Dr) and 3.0± miles along Pilot Knob Rd. The site will also provide beneficial new wireless telecommunications coverage along several miles of various other local, neighborhood, and private lakefront roads, year-round and seasonal residences, camping areas, marinas, hotels, restaurants, and other miscellaneous businesses in the area. From a network perspective, the proposed Pilot Knob site will extend seamless wireless coverage north and northeast of Lake George Village generally to the Bolton Landing and Pilot Knob Hamlet areas and effectively add new and/or improved service across several miles of difficult-to-reach shoreline communities and bays along the eastern and western shores of central Lake George. Upon activation, the proposed Pilot Knob site will complete coverage along NY-9L and NY-9N through the Towns of Queensbury and Bolton, respectively. Search Ring Development The Pilot Knob search area was created after considering several important factors including the large un-served coverage areas along NY-9L and NY-9N (as shown in Exhibit 1), the Pilot Knob cell coverage objectives defined above, local terrain limitations, APA guidelines, and the goal of providing as much reliable new wireless telecommunications coverage as possible across the target coverage area. The search area is shown at Figure 1 below and is illustrated by the red circle overlaid on a topographical 1 The Verizon Wireless nationwide standard for reliable in-vehicle and in-building coverage in rural areas and along highways is -85 dBm. Assuming sufficient network capacity is available:customers served at or better than signal strength of-85 dBm can expect reliable communications services and network quality,and a very high success rate of connecting to and maintaining connection with the network in emergency(i.e.,dialing 911)and non-emergency situations. 14554620.2 -4- map where the blue dot labeled "VZW Pilot Knob" (in blue text) is the proposed facility location (and the location used to generate the new coverage—i.e., green—layer at Exhibit 2). 1 .OJ ....s i I'. / I _3 e.. ` } ' �( r / Ofd �'� i }' 111 � n... r � - !t It,., ,1 `, c‘,\_, . `.�-- yi 41 4 ti T�175 L '/ • \. - -f :+ 1 V 1 .).„l''`�,.J- 3 .,9 r :., 'H 0 N D�"cly f - - - _ ,0::t G it -4.; ''''\ ':1\-°' . I . " ."'''' f—t, — --7- - �.y yst F '-• 1 1 ott ., ite 5 *--) ,e - -, ice\ �_ r' \1 `'� �'. __ Figure 1 —Pilot Knob Search Area The location of the search area is driven primarily by the coverage objectives—Verizon Wireless' facility must be located in an area from which the site is able to satisfy the coverage objectives detailed above. The size and shape of the search area are primarily driven by topography, existing coverage, and proximity to Verizon Wireless' existing and planned cell sites. Given the inherent beneficial features of the search area location, a new facility placed within the search area will satisfy the coverage and network performance objectives described above, while keeping tower height to a minimum. The search area location was chosen for its relatively high ground elevation (compared to the lake and intended coverage areas) and ability to provide unobstructed radio line-of-site paths across the majority of the area from minimal antenna height (i.e., minimally above the local tree canopy). The 3- dimensional topographic map provide at Figure 2 below is intended to illustrated the benefits of the chosen location as it relatively easy to visualize that coverage from a site placed in the search ring area would "see" southeast along NY-9L to NY-149, east and northeast along NY-9L and Pilot Knob Rd including the multiple bays and lakefront communities along Lake George's eastern shore, and north/northwest across central Lake George and along NY-9N along Lake George's western shoreline to Diamond Point and beyond. 14554620.2 - 5 -lk, : ,. . ,,, tr 't• - +l Pilot Knob Rd /- , 3 t ` r '$�� ova -- U .', 1-87 - - - ...Paint _ _ -- :,_ _- _ Ste_ i :IS"-- �_-NY-9L - i... 3, — - . y -.d 1111 ,r ,, y. .‘ lit --'-'- iir,t, , ...: . -„,_;-. _-_ -. vaii. _.. . . _ .. .. ...„ .• a5 t �,, it lF t ` * IF r _...41 Vili , ,,,,, .: , , _ fioi, - • r1 _!+ - ,. ice" -4,-.0.- Figure 2— Pilot Knob Search Area (3-Dimensional View) Several additional important factors and observations that led to the search ring placement and ultimately selection of the proposed facility are outlined below (with reference to Figures 1 and 2): • The search area targets a relatively high elevation hillside with sufficient ground elevation (tower base elevation is 952± ft Above Mean Sea Level ("AMSL")) that the transmit antennas, when raised slightly above the treetops, are able to maintain unobstructed views across the majority of the targeted coverage area; • The chosen location is tucked up against the higher elevation portions of French Mountain (south/southwest of the search area) and as a result is not expected to be backlit from many (if any) locations across Lake George or along NY-9N. NY-9L, Pilot Knob Rd, or any other local roads or communities along the lake; • Unlike most other higher elevation hills/mountains in the area, the targeted search ring area/hillside is close to existing utilities and is easily accessible via existing paved and dirt roads: and • A site positioned in the search ring is able to maximize coverage across the target area while keeping antenna centerline height minimally above the surrounding tree canopy. The search area is located entirely within the Town of Queensbury extending approximately ?/z mile west of Lockhart Mountain Road/Top of the World Golf Course and generally on the northern tip of French Mountain. The search area is mostly forested and the entire hilltop is owned by Lost Chalets, LLC or an affiliate thereof. A satellite view of the approximate search area including the chosen site location, golf course and surrounding community is show at Figure 3 below. 14554620.2 - 6 - tu' '��; ' 4 - — \ t V { Approx Search • Area • • Nit • • � s Top of the 1110- i :World ." �c Gulf L rcatiun P. Halt Figure 3 — Pilot Knob Search Area Satellite View Site Specific Search and Candidate Evaluation With the search area established, Verizon Wireless' Real Estate personnel visited the location with the goal of identifying any viable collocation opportunities as well as properties where developing a new wireless telecommunications facility appears feasible and exhibits potential to comply with the Adirondack Park Agency's tower siting guidelines. No existing structures were found in or near the search ring that are capable of satisfying the stated coverage objectives, so the focus turned to identifying viable raw land candidates. Although there are multiple parcels within the search area, all properties are owned by one land owner (Lost Chalets, LLC, or an affiliate thereof). Since there was only one land owner to consider, in this somewhat unique scenario the site search consisted of locating a feasible site development area that was amenable to Verizon Wireless and the property owner that would also satisfy most if not all APA tower siting guidelines. The logical choices (and those also preferred by the landowner) where west of the golf course club house and main public access portions of the golf course and condominiums at the base of the higher elevations of French Mountain where the antennas and tower would be naturally screened by terrain and dense vegetation. To further mask the facility, Verizon Wireless is proposing a stealth "monopine" structure located where the fenced compound will not be visible to the golf course patrons or condominium residences. The proposed location is located within a heavily wooded area, which will conceal most of the monopine and the ground equipment. Lastly, the proposed site location also satisfies the applicable RF coverage objectives (coverage from the proposed facility was discussed previously and provided at Exhibit 2). Site Design As described in the preceding section, Verizon Wireless determined that the proposed facility on the Lost Chalets, LLC property is the most feasible location to serve the Pilot Knob cell coverage objectives while satisfying APA tower siting guidelines to the fullest extent possible. With the location determined, a survey was conducted to gather local tree height information and capture any other -7- important information to ensure the proposed facility, when complete, has minimal aesthetic impact on both the area and the Adirondack Park. The location of the proposed tower and equipment compound were chosen to use existing roads and previously cleared and/or naturally-open areas on the property to minimize the need to remove old growth trees while also accommodating the primary use on the property. After careful consideration, Verizon Wireless is proposing to construct a 90 ft. monopine tower (overall height is 90±ft. which includes an 86±ft. monopole support tower with a 4±ft. ornamental cap) on the Lost Chalets, LLC property. The 86 ft. tall support structure enables antenna centerline placement of 77 ft., the minimum height from which the bottom of the antennas clear the local tree canopy to the southeast, east and north. The proposed tower will be screened to the fullest extent possible from both higher background terrain and surrounding dense vegetation, while providing a significant coverage improvement and expansion in and around central Lake George region and associated residential, commercial and recreational areas along the lake's shores and main travel routes NY-9N, NY-9L and Pilot Knob Road. The existing features of the property will be utilized to construct and access the site. Conclusion Verizon Wireless is proposing a new facility in the Town of Queensbury to extend coverage into the northern portions of the Town including residential, tourist and recreational areas at/near Lake George and along NY State Route 9L. The Project will also provide new and improved coverage in the Town of Bolton including the central Lake George region and along NY State Routes 9N, 9L and Pilot Knob Rd. An extensive review of the area was completed to determine feasible site locations capable of providing reliable wireless telecommunications coverage, while avoiding State forest land and satisfying APA siting guidelines and principles. Construction of the facility on the Lost Chalets, LLC property will maximize the use of previously disturbed and cleared areas and provide a balance between the Adirondack Park Agency's "substantial invisibility" policy and providing much needed reliable wireless service to Verizon Wireless customers as well as emergency communications capabilities to the emergency service providers in the Pilot Knob cell. Respectfully submitted by: Rick Andras RF Design Engineer Kathy Pomponio Real Estate Manager July 20, 2013 14554620.2 Exhibit 1 . VZW Existing and Future Lake Geor a Area Covera • e ' 4 BOLTON-LANDING f v � s""410. 11 414i' ■ --' -. - ■ lit I' Bolton r ■ C ■ j 1 • t ' I FotAnn ■ ,'# 111111!1;i r 4 lio ___.,, .., ..--, •,-:-... cii z ti 1 ti ' WARRENSBURG SOUTH,, r1, ' l i Q ■ ‘I, i ■ 5$411i, ■ , -140(M4 ., 4, ) ■,, ■■ 1 d Site �,y "' 'nob) • .f .. PRO PEC. ■ I t` I LAKE GEORGE VILLAGE L. R ueensbury ■-',2.. LAKE GEORGE ' NY-148 � . _ ' Hilt`. Lake George Area Coverage l 4. ■ (850 MHz, -85 dBm) • Existing Coverage Future Coverage Future_Gleri'Lake Site - •Water ,QUEENSBURY c-;:, "�. r ■ Exhibit 2. VZW Pro a osed New Lake George Area Coverage i� IY . ■ BOLTO\N�ANDING ..,ii 4- r 1 I pe 9 'L a iiritip -- lir pot . . me r ?Ili m . ! Lake George . I, ' FolikAnn • z m I it WARRENSBY SOUTH III ■ U 1-87 lif. A ik ti s triefir . 1 1 III . ilikr ' M. ioio y ■ 1' iriir I - ,ale P 5 I 4141 ir . 3. pi. g. .r iiii PROSPECT MT . f ir VII/ • GEORG \iL_.',c:= L ti . ' di - ` •ueensb- r IL �' . LfAKE'GEORGE UMI Lake George Area Coverage �� _ el (850 MHz, -85 dBm) . ' I Mir Existing '� 1• /7-1"7"---... Proposed New _- Future_Glen Lake Site • r at {' Future "QUEENSB RU Y V Water .i VerlInnal wireless 225 Jordan Road Troy, New York 12180 JUSTIFICATION FOR VERIZON WIRELESS' PROPOSED ANTENNA CONFIGURATION IN THE ADIRONDACK PARK This document is intended to provide justification for Verizon Wireless' requirement to deploy 12- panel antenna arrays on sites throughout Adirondack Park, including an in depth explanation of current antenna technology as it relates to this topic, how Verizon Wireless implements this modern technology, and the significant performance and operational advantages of implementing 12-panel arrays at each sites. Each section ends (as applicable) with a summary of the important points detailed within that particular section. General Methodology Verizon Wireless' efforts to provide wireless services over the most reliable and optimally-performing network drives the need for aggressive coverage expansion, responsive network monitoring and maintenance, timely system upgrades, and ongoing optimization. Rapid customer growth and high expectations for network quality further drive the need for new sites to be positioned and designed for maximum efficiency from both a coverage and performance perspective. Improved coverage, optimum performance within each site's intended coverage footprint, and maintaining service reliability everywhere on the Verizon Wireless network is paramount in sustaining consistent peak network performance and customer satisfaction. One of the major components critical to ensuring these network and site objectives are consistently met is the antenna systems implemented at each site. Antennas need to be carefully selected for each specific site and coverage scenario, as they ultimately determine whether a site can achieve its fullest operational potential. As such, Verizon Wireless engineers place considerable importance on the type and functionality of the antennas selected for each sector of every site. Antenna technology has improved dramatically over the past 5 years, and the number of different makes and models has advanced to where specific antennas tailored to meet very specific needs have become the norm. Early networks typically employed omni-directional antennas (omni-directional or "omni" antennas transmit radio frequency (RF) transmissions equally in all directions horizontally away from a site, forming a doughnut-shaped radiation pattern) to provide uniform blanket coverage surrounding a given site. Modern antenna deployment techniques and the readily-available high quality panel/sectored antennas of today have supplanted the omni configuration as the industry standard, as the advantages in network efficiency and performance, and ultimately a better customer experience realized from deploying sectored sites, are indisputable. Deploying sectored sites into or to expand mature modern networks has several advantages; a few of the more important ones are outlined below: 1. It is an industry accepted practice to improve site performance and efficiency. 2. Significant coverage and signal strength improvements are realized within a site's coverage footprint (increased power available for penetrating into buildings, through trees, etc.). 3. It provides necessary versatility to focus additional power on specific sub-regions or high-interest targets ((e.g., along 1-87, population centers near or reasonably close to 1-87, tourist destinations like Lake Placid and Whiteface, etc.) or shift additional power towards an underperforming area within a site's coverage footprint. 10781726.2 -7- 4. It improves handoff efficiency and reliability as customers transition from one site to another. 5. Sectored sites experience fewer blocked and dropped calls as more power is available to specific locations where the majority of customers congregate. 6. Extends coverage beyond that achievable from an omni configuration, which ultimately results in fewer sites to cover a given area. 7. Superior control over output power and where the power is directed is used to minimize interference to surrounding sites. 8. It provides a nearly 3-fold capacity improvement (ability for the site to handle additional users or dramatic increases in usage) over an omni configuration (in simplified terms, an omni configuration on Verizon Wireless' CDMA network can handle a maximum of 128 simultaneous users, whereas a 3-sectored site can operate 3 sectors capable of carrying 128 simultaneous calls each, or triple the number of possible simultaneous calls at 384). As this list portrays, deploying sectored sites is an incredibly useful and productive approach for significantly improving a site's performance and coverage, and a valuable tool frequently employed by Verizon Wireless engineers to maintain or improve network quality. These performance improvements are the intent of deploying 3 sectored sites throughout the Adirondacks, as the improved and expanded coverage achievable from this configuration will ultimately reduce the overall number of sites required throughout the park. IMPORTANT POINTS of this section: • New sites are designed in sectored configurations to achieve optimum performance, coverage, reliability and efficiency. • Sectored sites are inherently superior to omni configurations and are required to achieve these objectives. • Sectored sites can lead to fewer sites required to cover a given area, and provide better quality of service within the site's intended coverage area. This section outlined why deploying sectored sites is a useful and desirable practice. The following section, Antenna Basics and Common Configurations, provides definitions for some common antenna terminology and additional detail on how and why sectored sites are beneficial, followed by the rationale behind deploying 12 antennas on sites throughout Adirondack Park. Antenna Basics and Common Configurations Antennas are used in wireless communication networks to amplify and direct power out of a radio transmitter to a target location, and are needed to help overcome the power lost both along the cables/connectors from the transmitter to the antenna and through free space and various obstructions or clutter (buildings, cars, trees, etc.) encountered between the antenna and the end user's receiving antenna. How strongly the antenna amplifies radio signals is measured in decibels (dB) and is referred to as the antenna's "gain". The higher a given antenna's gain, the more amplification to the radio signal, resulting in longer achievable communication distances between transmitter and the intended receiver, and/or improved coverage within the site's coverage footprint. Ultimately, using higher gain antennas directly correlates with each site covering a larger area resulting in fewer sites required to cover a given area. 10781726.2 -3- The amount of gain associated with a particular antenna is directly related to the antenna's directivity, or slice of a circle the antenna is intended to focus energy to. While the omni antenna by definition distributes power with equal gain along the entire circle, directional (also referred to as sector or panel) antennas provide higher gain (relative to the omni 360 degree pattern) but focus the energy over a smaller section (or sector) of the circle. A simple example of a 3-sectored configuration would be 3 equal 120 degree pieces of the circle (like a pie cut in thirds), each fed by a 120 degree directional antenna (from the center of the pie out). This 3 sector configuration would provide more output power over the entire circle relative to the omni, since each of the three (3) 120 degree panel antennas provides more gain over its 120 degree section when compared to the omni. Every 3 dB gain improvement results in doubling the antenna's output power. An increase in output power results in an increase in propagation distance (distance a site is expected to cover). Propagation distance is a function of frequency. Lower frequencies have the ability to travel much farther and are less affected by trees, buildings, etc. Low frequency (relative to cellular and PCS) AM radio transmissions can be heard hundreds of miles away from a single transmitter; high frequency transmissions like a typical blue tooth device (e.g. blue tooth headset communicating wirelessly with a mobile phone on a users waist) have operational distances of tens of feet and aren't able to penetrate through trees or buildings at all. Antenna size is similarly frequency dependent. Lower frequencies require larger antennas; as such 850 MHz antennas are larger than 1900 MHz PCS antennas to achieve like gain and beam-forming characteristics. Antenna size directly correlates to the antenna's gain. In general, the larger the antenna, the more gain or amplification is achievable (hence expanded or improved coverage). Some manufacturers build relatively small high gain antennas, but at the sacrifice of performance relative to the ability to focus the antenna pattern (vertical and horizontal beamwidth). With these smaller antennas, the coverage patterns extend power into undesirable areas causing interference in adjoining sectors and sites. The Verizon Wireless prototypical antenna array uses eight (8) foot tall antennas. At this size the physics behind antenna design facilitates the best possible combination of all important antenna characteristics for Verizon Wireless' site design; mainly they provide high gain and very precise coverage control characteristics for optimum performance. Smaller antennas (4 or 6 foot for example) suffer either less gain (3 dB or more) or distorted vertical and/or horizontal beamwidths that result in degraded performance. The eight (8) foot antennas provide the ideal balance between gain, horizontal and vertical beamwidths. Diversity is a somewhat complicated term used in communications and basically refers to the ability of a radio receiver to receive 2 completely independent radio signals emitting from the same distant transmitter (in this case a customer using their mobile device). This is extremely important as radio signals undergo a phenomenon called "fading", where a large number of random reflections cause transmitted signals to combine in a fashion they cancel each other out. Radio signals, once transmitted, are reflected and refracted off buildings, mountains, trees, cars, etc. resulting in a receiving antenna receiving multiple distorted copies of the same transmitted signal, many of them time-delayed as they've traveled further distances after encountering various reflections off buildings, pavement, trucks, etc. along the way. These signals (called "multipath") can either combine constructively or destructively at the receive antenna; the consequence of destructive combining is complete cancellation of the received signal and a broken communication between transmitter and receiver (the canceled signal results in an indistinguishable received signal at the receiver and a broken communication link, i.e., a lost or dropped call, or the ability to place/receive a call). Diversity is a calculated distance based on the network operating frequency (at Verizon Wireless' 850 MHz operating frequency, the calculated diversity distance is slightly over 10 ft); separating 2 antennas by this diversity distance guarantees that even if a complete fade or cancellation occurs at one of the antennas, the other antenna would not be impacted by the same fade and communication would not be broken. Also, when one of the antennas is not in the complete fade situation described above, the receiver is able to combine signals from both antennas and achieve what is referred to as diversity gain, resulting in superior reception compared to the same signal received by only one antenna. 10781726.2 -4- Polarization is a technique used to help the wireless system filter out unwanted signals (transmissions) from within or external to the network. Similar to the way a pair of sunglasses are polarized to pass only sunlight that matches the sunglass' polarization while blocking most unwanted reflections off water, roadways, glass, etc., customer's incoming signals (from their mobile device) are strongest when the transmit antenna (on the mobile phone for example) matches the polarization of the cell site's receive antennas. Standard antenna polarizations are horizontal (parallel to the earth's surface), vertical (perpendicular to the earth's surface), or cross (skewed 45 deg either clockwise or counter-clockwise from the earth's surface). In cellular and PCS communications, vertical polarization is by far the most commonly used, although cross-polarization is sometimes effective in more urban environments where multiple reflections off dense buildings scatter the transmitted signals and alter the original transmitted signal polarization by the time it reaches the receive antenna. For best reception on each end of a communication link, the polarization of both transmit and receive antennas must match (i.e., vertical polarized on both the site and user end). Verizon Wireless' sites generally are of the "single" polarization variety, meaning the antenna contains 1 (single) antenna of the specified polarization behind the enclosure surrounding the antenna. There are also "dual" polarized antennas (often referred to as "cross-pole" or X-pole) which refers to an antenna containing 2 antennas within it's enclosure, and each antenna having polarization 180 degrees apart from the other. Figure 1 below illustrates a pair of single pole vertically polarized antennas on the left (green antennas each represent a single vertically polarized antenna) and a dual pole antenna on the right. The two (2) single pole vertical antennas (green antennas) in Figure 1 must be separated on a given sector by the diversity distance (minimum of 10 feet at Verizon Wireless' 850 MHz operating frequency or approximately 6 feet at the 1900 MHz PCS frequencies). In short, in order to maintain diversity, either two (2) "single" polarized antennas per sector located 10 feet apart, or one (1) "dual" polarized antenna per sector are required to maintain this diversity and assure that the signal from the mobile user is received at the base station. Figure 1. Comparison between Single and Dual Pole antennas. 2 Vertically Polarized Antennas 1 Cross Polarized Antenna I I X I I x I I x I x I I x • • . . Although the dual-pole configuration (blue antenna) in Figure 1 provides similar diversity affects as the two vertically polarized antennas (horizontally separated by the diversity distance), this holds more true in environments where signals undergo significant reflection off multiple highly reflective surfaces like glass-faced buildings, the large number of stationary or moving cars and trucks, etc., found in urban-type environments. In addition, the horizontal separation (using 2 single polarized antennas separated by the diversity distance) approach provides up to a 3 dB improvement over the x-pole configuration in rural and highway applications. These findings indicate that using x-pole antennas in rural and highway 10781726.2 -5- environments reduces the site's coverage by 3 dB, resulting in less area from which the user can maintain communication back to the site, and could ultimately force the need for additional sites. The above discussions provide the technical background for Verizon Wireless' use of 8 foot single vertical polarized antennas separated by the appropriate diversity distance to ensure and maintain peak network and site performance, and explains why the x-pole configuration reduces a site's effective coverage by up to 3 dB in rural or highway environments such as the Adirondack Park (this 3 dB coverage loss in affect counteracts much of the benefit realized from using high gain antennas). These are the main performance-based reasons why deploying 3 antennas (1 antenna per sector) flush- mounted to a pole is not an effective deployment option in the park, as a site's maximum coverage is reduced by 3 dB and could ultimately drive the need for additional fill in sites or unreliable connectivity between adjoining sites throughout the Adirondacks. As a final topic on this antenna discussion, the next logical question would be why 12 total antennas are typically deployed. The simple answer is that Verizon Wireless is operating or holds the rights to operate 2 networks simultaneously (with plans to add a 3`d), and each network requires 2 single polarized diversity spaced antennas per sector (3 sectors of 4 antennas for a total of 12) per the information set forth in this section. Although there are antennas capable of transmitting and receiving 2 or more frequency bands within a single antenna enclosure, these antennas are either very tall (over 10 feet is common) or very wide (2 feet or more). In addition, due to inherently dissimilar operating characteristics of the different frequencies (e.g., the 850 MHz system will typically cover a larger area than the 1900 MHz system), the antennas require separate adjustments to optimize performance of each system. These independent adjustments are not possible with both technologies lumped into a single antenna. Lastly, in the event of an antenna failure, the dual-frequency antenna failure takes both (or more) systems out of service; whereas if each technology has its own independent antenna, service is still available from the other technology should one antenna fail. Compiling all the above information and weighing the pros and cons of the various antenna types and configurations ultimately leads to the reason Verizon Wireless's standard configuration is 2 antennas per technology at a given site. For reasons stated above (diversity, maximum gain and performance, reliability, flexibility to adjust each system independently, reduced interference, etc.) the configuration demonstrated in Figure 2 below provides by far the most effective approach to deploying a 2 technology (850 MHz cellular and 1900 MHz PCS) site and/or network (this notion is particularly true in a rural setting such as Adirondack Park). The picture is an example of how one of 3 sectors would look from an antenna placement perspective, and how each antenna is fed based on its associated radio equipment and diversity spacing requirement (i.e., different spacing for the 2 frequencies). A top view of the entire 12-antenna layout is provided in Figure 3 (note the antenna positioning to accommodate the required diversity spacing per technology, i.e., 10 ft for cellular 850 MHz and 6 ft for 1900 MHz PCS). 10781726.2 -6- Figure 2. Typical Verizon Wireless Antenna Layout to Accommodate 850 MHz and PCS Operation. P P C c Antenna ■ s s 0 x • x O • x o x 4 • Tx = Transmit . 21 Feed Lines -• - 9 7 ' Rx = Receive hand auplexer Equipment 850 Mod Cell PCS Frame (In Shelter) Figure 3. Top View of Typical Verizon Wireless Antenna Layout Consisting of (6) 850 MHz & (6) 1900 MHz Antennas. Green antennas are for 850 MHz, blue antennas for 1900 MHz PCS. V 10781726.2 IMPORTANT POINTS of this section: • The most important antenna characteristics are its gain and beam-forming ability. More gain equates to increased coverage, better performance, and fewer sites. Beam forming defines how accurately and in which direction available power is allocated to maximize each site's usefulness. • Horizontally-separated antennas (2 antennas per sector per technology) provide significant performance and reliability benefits in rural and highway environments when compared to x-pole antennas (e.g., 3 flush mounted antennas in a 1 antenna per sector configuration). • Antenna size is a function of frequency and performance. Larger antennas (like the 8 foot antennas used in Verizon Wireless' typical configuration) provide significant gain and beam-forming advantages over smaller antennas. Similarly, large antennas increase coverage, improve in-building penetration, and result in fewer sites. • 8 foot antennas in the 850 MHz cellular band provide optimum coverage (gain) and beam-forming characteristics. • Verizon Wireless' 850 MHz cellular and 1900 MHz PCS networks must operate on their own separate set of antennas to achieve maximum performance from each system. Combining cellular and PCS into a single antenna degrades performance of both systems, suffers reduction in coverage, does not allow for independent optimization of each system, and increases the risk for significant site and network downtime due to lack of redundancy. This section provided the basic terms and theory supporting Verizon Wireless' standard 12 antenna array implementation on new sites, the advantages of higher gain antennas and the benefits of using 8 foot antennas, and the need to separate multiple systems so that each can be maintained and optimized independently to ensure peak performance and maximized coverage for each system. Given the significant and indisputable technical reasons for deploying 12 antenna arrays, the following section describes the operational advantages of this configuration. Operational Advantages of the Proposed 12 Antennas Array As mentioned in the preceding section, Verizon Wireless holds Federal Communication Commission licenses in both the cellular 850 MHz and the 1900 MHz PCS frequency bands. Voice and data services (i.e.. internet access, email, web browsing, sending or downloading pictures. music and video, etc.) are available on both the 850 MHz and 1900 MHz systems, but the voice calls and data sessions are combined and transmitted/received over common antennas (i.e., 850MHz cellular voice/data is transmitted/received out of the 850 MHz cellular antennas, 1900 MHz voice/data are combined to use the 1900 MHz PCS antennas, so no additional antennas or coax are required to provide these wireless data services beyond those already required to provide voice-only services). In this scenario, voice and data services are delivered over different radio channels within each system's frequency band (much the way 2 different FM radio stations can be received over the same FM antenna, and 2 AM radio stations received over the same AM antenna; although 1 antenna cannot adequately receive both AM and FM channels). In general each technology (850 MHz cellular and 1900 MHz PCS) requires its own antennas as the frequencies these separate technologies and systems operate at are vastly different (although the performance of both 850 and 1900 MHz systems are severely degraded by trees and common building materials, higher frequency systems like 1900 MHz suffer considerably worse degradation and are not able to penetrate as far through trees or into buildings). Also, interference from one system can greatly impede performance on another system, so providing the maximum spacing between antennas (ideally 10781726.2 -8- vertically separated; e.g., different heights on a tower) is necessary to avoid negatively impacting performance to collocated systems or technologies. Based on Verizon Wireless' current need to accommodate 2 technologies (850 MHz cellular and 1900 MHz PCS), the appropriate scenario (based on explanations in the previous section why 2 antennas per sector per technology is the preferred configuration) is to deploy 4 antennas per sector for a total of 12 antennas on a 3 sector site. This is the minimum number of antennas necessary to satisfy all of Verizon Wireless' operational and performance related objectives. To consider an alternative and far less desirable point of view, if Verizon Wireless were to consider a 1 antenna per sector, flush mount configuration, the choices would be: a) Two separate antenna centerlines to accommodate 1900 MHz PCS on top and 850 MHz cellular beneath. As discussed throughout the document, 3 dB of diversity gain is sacrificed resulting in less coverage and increased site count through the park. Also, a single antenna failure renders one sector of either the cellular or PCS system completely out-of-service. Most importantly, the APA substantial invisibility requirement of tower height such that antenna centerline is 5 feet above average local tree height would result in one set of antennas completely submersed below tree line (and tremendously reduce coverage for that technology; in this example the cellular network) causing many additional sites to be added for that technology. Alternatively, the tower height would need to be increased to bring both sets of antennas above local tree height, or roughly a tower height of 20 feet above the local tree line. b) Both technologies combined into one antenna per sector at a single antenna centerline. This configuration would alleviate the tower height issues or one set of antennas buried in the trees as described above, but is incredibly risky from a reliability (not to mention poor performance and reduced coverage) standpoint as if one antenna fails it would take down an entire sector or 1/3 of a site's coverage footprint for both technologies. This configuration also does not allow independent antenna adjustments for each technology; i.e. both technologies are constrained to the same azimuth, antenna beamwidth, gain, etc. with no chance to modify one technology without also disrupting performance to the other. Verizon Wireless does not find either of these alternative scenarios acceptable from a performance, redundancy, or most importantly, safety perspective. With significant detail provided supporting the technical aspect of Verizon Wireless' prototypical 12 antenna array, further justification is found from the important operational advantages this configuration provides (mainly redundancy). Redundancy is required for both the cellular and PCS system so that if one antenna fails it does not render that particular site (or sector within the site) inoperable. The technical benefits of using diversity spaced antennas (vs. cross polarized) are vigorously documented in the preceding section, but a secondary advantage is that if one antenna fails the other is still operable (albeit with some performance degradation as the benefits of diversity are not available). Although performance is degraded during no-diversity operation, customers are still able to place phone calls (particularly 911) on the sector. Also, with each technology operating on its own set of antennas, if an 850 MHz antenna fails, the 1900 MHz network is available for backup, and vice-versa. Verizon Wireless' strict network reliability requirements and customer expectation for consistent and uninterrupted network availability further drive the need for redundancy. Harsh winters in the Adirondack Park including heavy winds and rain add to the likelihood of antenna failures (as well as the coax connecting the radios to the antennas), and increase the difficulty in accessing the site on a timely basis for repair. Without this required redundancy, a sector or site could potentially be shut down for days, weeks or even months, as the physical replacement of an antenna requires mechanical lifts and Verizon Wireless is at the mercy of finding tower climbers and required equipment to complete the work, getting the equipment and climbers to the site, and once there the feasibility of safely climbing the structure may be difficult during or in the aftermath of a big storm or emergency. Several minutes of downtime in a snowstorm or emergency could severely impact a customer's ability to contact 911 emergency services, 10781726.2 - 9- so several hours of downtime is unacceptable to a customer (or emergency personnel) relying on network access 100% of the time. The built-in redundancy of a 12 panel configuration provides protection and safety against significant network downtime. In addition to the obvious performance and operational advantages of the 12 panel configuration, Verizon Wireless is also confident that the proposed 12 panel array, when added to the proposed towers, will not alter to any significant extent a given site's conformance to the Adirondack Park Agency (APA) guideline for "substantial invisibility". Each site is designed and built with these APA guidelines in mind, and as such are located off mountain or hilltops where ample local tree masking and backdrop prevent significant aesthetic impact. Logic dictates that if the entire tower is substantially invisible, adding antennas without increasing the overall facility height or removing surrounding tree cover should at worst- case have minimal visual impact to area aesthetics. IMPORTANT POINTS of this section: • Verizon Wireless voice and data (internet access, etc.) services operate on different channels within the same frequency band, and are transmitted over the common antennas. No additional antennas are required to transmit data services. • Dual pole or dual band antennas do not perform as well in rural environments as horizontally-separated antennas, and do not provide the necessary redundancy to minimize downtime. • Reliability concerns and the potential danger associated with network downtime during a storm, accident, or any other emergency-type scenario drives the need for antenna redundancy. • Timely and effective implementation of the redundant antenna or system is critical to ensure network reliable remains as close to 100% availability as possible. • Inclement weather common to the Adirondacks adds to the likelihood of antenna failure throughout the park. placing additional importance on redundancy. • Difficulty in procuring the necessary equipment and maintenance crews required to replace a failed antenna (if redundancy was NOT in place) during a major storm or emergency could result in several hours, days, or weeks of site downtime, further intensifying the need for redundancy. • Verizon Wireless' common 3 sectored 12 antenna array is the minimum configuration to satisfy all performance, operational, and redundancy objectives. • Each site within Adirondack Park is designed with careful consideration of the APA's "substantial invisibility" guidelines, and as such. logic dictates that if the entire tower is substantially invisible, so too is the 12 antenna array mounted to the facility. The preceding sections provided supporting information on why sectored sites are important, the technical aspects of why distance-based diversity spacing is a significantly better option than dual pole antennas or dual technology antennas, the importance of separating independent networks (cellular and PCS) onto their own antennas, and why a 12 antenna configuration is so important for safe and reliable communication. Armed with this abundance of information, the reader should have a reasonable understanding of why deploying 12 antenna arrays is vitally important to Verizon Wireless. 10781726.2 - 10- Site Design Based on the supporting information provided in this document, Verizon Wireless is confident that installing 8 foot 12-antenna sectored arrays on proposed sites throughout Adirondack Park is the correct approach to maximize site performance, reliability, coverage, and better serve customers. When complete, the sites deployed in this fashion will: 1. Re-direct power to places where the majority of customers are located within the site's coverage footprint. 2. Enable engineers to independently modify and optimize both the 850 and 1900 MHz networks for optimum performance and coverage. 3. Improve customer satisfaction with more reliable service (including 911 emergency services), better performance (fewer blocked or dropped calls, etc.), increased inhome/inbuilding penetration, and expanded coverage. 4. Afford nearly triple the calling capacity to prevent site blocking due to usage surges during peak tourist seasons, accidents or emergencies, customer growth, etc. 5. Provide users the benefits of redundancy so if an antenna fails, site or sector downtime will be minimized and likely not noticeable. This reliability is extremely important to Verizon Wireless' reputation and customer satisfaction, particular during the unfortunate circumstance of an emergency and the need to place 911 calls. In order to realize these substantial benefits, the proposed sites in Adirondack Park include 3 sectors with each sector containing 4 antennas (2 850 MHz antennas and 2 1900 MHz PCS antennas). The proposed antennas are high performance/high gain 8 foot panels that provide optimum coverage and performance, with the ultimate goal of reducing the number of sites necessary to provide coverage inside park boundaries. Additional performance improvements are achieved by separating the 850 MHz antennas by 10 feet (placing 1 on each end of a sector's boom gate) and 1900 MHz antennas by 6 feet, as this configuration results in significant service quality improvements as detailed throughout this document. Lastly, the 12 antenna sectored configuration provides the necessary system redundancy to ensure uninterrupted reliable high quality service should antenna failures occur; this redundancy is particularly important to ensure E-911 services are available despite the likelihood of antenna (or feedline)failure caused by the harsh Adirondack weather. Conclusion Verizon Wireless is convinced that deploying 12 panel antenna arrays to sites in Adirondack Park is the correct approach to augment and expand coverage, and ensure optimum performance and operational reliability of each facility. Extensive documentation and analysis has been provided to justify the proposed configuration. Verizon Wireless is proposing adding the minimum number of antennas (12) to accomplish stated performance, operational, and reliability objectives, and is confident that the proposed facilities, given their inherent substantial invisibility due to careful site selection, affords the ability to mount 12 antenna arrays at the sites without disturbing local area aesthetics. Given that by nature the sites must be substantially invisible, Verizon Wireless feels strongly that it is in all involved party's best interest to maximize the effectiveness of each facility deployed in Adirondack Park. Respectfully submitted by: Rick Andras RF Design Engineer Date: May, 2013 10781726.2