KRPI AM RADIO: Context Photo Exhibit (CUP2013-00004) This

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KRPI AM RADIO: Context Photo Exhibit (CUP2013-00004)

This document and the attached photos discuss and depict typical locational contexts for existing AM radio transmitter facilities in the area, for the purpose of providing perspective on public comment regarding potential visual impacts from the antenna array and compatibility with the character of Point Roberts.

AM antenna facilities are located throughout the Puget Sound, Whatcom County and lower British Columbia areas. These facilities are located in a wide variety of areas, including rural, agricultural and urban commercial and residential areas. The attached site context and aerial photos provide examples of local AM antenna facilities located in areas across the spectrum of land uses and densities. They provide anecdotal support for the applicant’s position that the proposed antenna array will not have a detrimental impact on the character of Point Roberts and will be compatible visually with Point Roberts.

Selected Whatcom County facilities:

There are five AM antenna facilities in Whatcom County; these are located in rural areas, agricultural areas, within the City of Bellingham and also along the fringes of the City of Bellingham and Ferndale. These facilities have all been at their current locations for 20+ years. These are:

1. KRPI 1550 – The current KRPI array is located just south of Ferndale’s city center, on Imhoff Road, immediately adjacent to Pioneer Park. The antennas are in an open field east of Imhoff Road and west of Pioneer Park. There are four antenna elements; each is 145 feet tall. See Photo Examples 1, 2 & 3.

2. KARI 550 & KVRI 1600 – The KARI & KVRI joint array is located in the Drayton Harbor area of Blaine. The antennas are located in an open field that abuts Drayton Harbor Road, just east of the intersection with Harborview Road. This facility is visible from the City of Blaine and also areas of Birch Bay. There are seven antenna elements; each is 320 feet tall. See Photo Examples 4, 5 & 6.

3. KBAI 930 – The KBAI array is located on King Mountain in the City of Bellingham, at the intersection of Gooding Avenue and James Street Road, at the top of the hill. The antennas are behind a treed perimeter. There are two antenna elements; each is 250 feet tall. See Photo Examples 7, 8 & 9.

4. KPUG 1170 – The KPUG array is located in the Barkley area in the City of Bellingham, fronting on E. Sunset Drive, just east of the intersection with Hannegan Road. The antennas can be seen from E. Sunset Drive, and also from the parking lots along the northern edge of the Barkley commercial development, east of Woburn. There are three antenna elements; each is 215 feet tall. See Photo Examples 10, 11, 12 & 13.

5. KGMI 790 – The KGMI array is located on Yew Street Road near the City of Bellingham, at the top of the hill, just north of the Palmer Road intersection with Yew Street Road. The antennas are behind the broadcast offices of the Cascade Radio Group, just off Yew Street Road. There are two antenna elements; each is 300 feet tall. See Photo Examples 14, 15 & 16.

KRPI Context Photo Exhibit

Selected Puget Sound & lower British Columbia facilities:

There are also a number of AM antenna facilities located in the Richmond area of lower British Columbia, the greater Seattle area, and on Vashon Island in Puget Sound. These facilities are also located in a wide variety of settings, including rural, agricultural and urban areas. Examples of these facilities include:

1. CHMB – This facility is located in Richmond, B.C. See attached aerials and site photo. The antenna structures are each approximately 185 feet tall. There are three structures. The transmitter site is very close to commercial business operations. See Photo Examples 17, 18 & 19.

2. CBU – This facility is located in the tidelands of the Strait of Georgia, immediately west of Richmond. See attached aerial and site photo showing the towers in the background and the adjacent neighborhood. The four antenna structures are each approximately 245 feet tall and immediately adjacent to densely populated neighborhoods, opposite the seawall. See Photo Examples 20 & 21.

3. Mercer Slough – There are 9 AM radio antenna structures in the Mercer Slough comprising 3 AM antenna systems. The Mercer Slough Park is surrounded by densely populated neighborhoods. KIXI 880 utilizes three antenna structures that are each approximately 245 feet tall. KKNW 1150 utilizes three antenna structures that are each approximately 245 feet tall. And KXPA 1540 utilizes three antenna structures that are each approximately 165 feet tall. See Photo Examples 22, 23 & 24.

4. Vashon Island – There are five AM antenna arrays located on Vashon and Maury Island in Puget Sound comprising seven AM radio signals, including KIRO, KOMO, KVI, KGNW/KJR, and KTTH/KRPM (now KFNQ). These facilities are located in an environment very similar to the Point Roberts area, with rural areas including a golf course located in the immediate vicinity of the KIRO, KTTH/KRPM (now KFNQ) antenna arrays, and near more dense residential development located on Vashon Island and across the Sound in south Seattle. See Photo Examples 25, 26 & 27.