Opinion ID: 1537150
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Sufficiency of the Evidence Offered by Gridcom

Text: [¶ 28] Gridcom bears the burden of establishing the factual elements necessary for the grant of its application. See Gensheimer, 2005 ME 22, ¶ 18, 868 A.2d at 166. We are required to affirm the Planning Board's decision denying Gridcom's application unless the evidence before the Board would compel a positive finding. Perrin v. Town of Kittery, 591 A.2d 861, 863 (Me.1991). Gridcom argues that the evidence before the Planning Board compelled it to approve the application. We must determine whetherconsidering the Board's negative findings with respect to subsections (3) and (6)the Planning Board was nevertheless compelled to approve Gridcom's application. [¶ 29] The seven factors balanced by the Planning Board, which ultimately led to the denial of the application, included: (1) the proposed tower's visibility above the tree line from Bald Rock Mountain, public roads, public land, and the Bay; (2) other existing structures and features within the same line of sight as the tower; (3) the extent of the tower's visibility altogether (from the viewpoints listed in the first factor); (4) the amount of vegetative screening; (5) the distance of the tower from the viewpoint and the tower's location within the view shed (as indicated on the Scenic View Map); (6) the evidence set forth in the visual impact assessment submitted with the application and any related conclusions; and (7) the existence of reasonable alternatives that would allow the facility to function consistent with its purpose. Ordinance § 19.7.2(12)(1)(1)-(7). We now consider the Planning Board's reliance on subsections (3) and (6) in denying Gridcom's application. [¶ 30] With respect to subsection (3), the Planning Board determined that the tower would be visible from several points. There was ample testimony from community members on this point. The Planning Board also relied on a report that questioned whether Gridcom's photo simulations would be accurate in the winter when some trees have no leaves. Evidence in the record therefore supports the Board's finding. However, it is unclear how any tower close to 190 feet would satisfy subsection (3) if Gridcom's tower does not. To be read harmoniously with Ordinance § 19.7.2(1), which allows for towers to be up to 195 feet tall, subsection (3) cannot be interpreted in a way that would preclude a tower merely because it is visible within the tree canopy. See Pinkham, 622 A.2d at 95. With the trees in the area being anywhere from fifty to eighty-six feet, any tower above that height would be visible. It is therefore not a question of whether the tower would be visible from particular points in Lincolnville, but rather how visible. [¶ 31] Although it may be seen from several points within the tree canopy, the Planning Board found that the tower would be at least one thousand feet away from the nearest property. In addition, the tower would be surrounded by a heavily wooded area. Further, Gridcom's representative explained to the Planning Board that Gridcom would use a small area of land and would not need to clear a large area of trees to build the tower. The access road would be screened and not visible. The Planning Board repeatedly referred to Gridcom's failure to visually alter the tower in a way that preserves the scenic view from Bald Rock Mountain, yet it offers no reasonable suggestions as to how an applicant might alter the tower, other than to make it shorter, a suggestion that conflicts with the authorization of Ordinance § 19.7.2(1) for a 195-foot tower. [¶ 32] Regarding subsection (6), the Planning Board found that Gridcom did not meet its burden of establishing that the tower satisfies that subsection because the photos in Gridcom's visual impact assessment were of poor quality, and the assessment was insufficient in projecting what the area would look like once a number of trees are cleared to build the tower. We agree that the photo simulations were not of the highest quality. However, Gridcom's application and incorporated site plan offer an abundance of evidence concerning how the company would minimize the visual impact of the tower. Gridcom has chosen an area with heavy tree cover. It plans to clear as few trees as possible to build the tower, leaving a large wooded area to serve as a buffer. It provided photographs of various viewpoints in Lincolnville, from which the proposed tower cannot be seen. In addition, it produced photo simulations of how the tower would appear within the tree canopy when viewed from Bald Rock Mountain. The fact that those photos were not of the highest quality does not justify a denial of Gridcom's application. Furthermore, the low quality may be partially attributed to the fact that the tower would be one-third of a mile away from Bald Rock Mountain, and, therefore, the photos may offer the same distant view as an individual would have when standing at that location. [¶ 33] Accordingly, we hold that Gridcom met its burden of establishing the factual elements necessary for the grant of [its] application. Gensheimer, 2005 ME 22, ¶ 18, 868 A.2d at 166. Five of the seven factors do not result in an adverse impact upon the scenic view, and the Planning Board's findings with respect to the remaining two factorssubsections (3) and (6)do not rise to the level necessary to support a denial of the application. We conclude that the evidence before the Planning Board therefore compelled a positive finding. See Perrin, 591 A.2d at 863. The entry is: Judgment of the Superior Court vacated. Remanded to the Superior Court with instructions to remand to the Board of Appeals with instructions to remand to the Planning Board for approval of the application.