I N V A S I O N ?

...dateline: PHOENIX!!!! THE INVASION BEGINS!!!


...Transformers -- palm trees in diguise!!!!



PV approves cell tower disguised as palm tree:

Diana BalazsThe Arizona RepublicJul. 25, 2007


PARADISE VALLEY - The Paradise Valley Planning Commission has approved the installation of the town's first cellphone tower disguised as a palm tree.But the tower at El Chorro Lodge, 5550 E. Lincoln Drive, would not be just any faux foliage. The commission stipulated Tuesday that T-Mobile install the very best-looking man-made tree on the market and enhance its looks by planting two real palms next to it, complete with a drip irrigation system.

And not just any palms. They must be date palms to match the fake tree known as a monopalm, and they must be 25 feet tall. The tower tree will stand at 45 feet. The real palms must be lower in height so they won't interfere with the tower's signal. Fake fronds will hide the antenna array.Unless the commission's decision is appealed, the matter will not have to go before the Town Council. The tower will be installed in a service area on the grounds of El Chorro, one of Paradise Valley's oldest watering holes.An 8-foot tall block wall will hide the tower's equipment cabinets. "We've obviously seen a lot of pictures of monopalms. Some of them look pretty good and some of them look pretty not so good. I suppose our goal is to make sure we get the best-looking monopalm on the face of the Earth," said Richard Mahrle, commission chairman. T-Mobile said the tropical-looking tower will significantly improve service from Invergordon Road to the east, McDonald Drive to the south, Mummy Mountain to the north, and Desert Fairways Drive to the west. T-Mobile already has received approval for a tower at the town's public works building at Invergordon Road (64th Street) and Lincoln. It provided maps showing T-Mobile's existing coverage area and those of the public works and El Chorro sites. When installed, both will greatly improve reception and customer capacity along the Lincoln Drive corridor.


There was no opposition to the request.


Klatuu Barada Nikto !!!!