Albany County planning commissioners recommended Oct. 8 that the Board of County Commissioners approve a 100-foot communications tower permit for Union Wireless east of Rock River (UCT-01-25), subject to follow-up on wildlife and weed-control recommendations from state agencies.

Planning staff said the applicant submitted required documentation and that the proposal meets minimum tower-permit standards. The county received agency comments, and staff adopted the applicant’s materials as findings in the permit packet.

Several commissioners asked why recommendations from the Wyoming Game & Fish Department and other agencies were not included directly in the staff report. Staff explained those agencies had submitted comments directly to the applicant in some cases; commissioners asked that Game & Fish’s recommendations be incorporated as conditions in the Board packet. Game & Fish had urged minimizing ground disturbance between Nov. 15 and April 30, requiring equipment cleaning prior to arrival and post-construction monitoring for noxious weeds.

Union Wireless’ representative, Chris Schlacks of SAC Wireless, said the project is part of a federal rip-and-replace program to swap Chinese-made equipment and that Union will follow permit conditions. He said the company typically works around environmental constraints identified during NEPA or other reviews and would look at adding a washing plan or timing restrictions if Game & Fish required them.

Commissioners asked staff to clarify specific positive findings in the permit packet (screening/buffering, air-traffic safety, and environmental reviews) and to include Game & Fish conditions where feasible. The commission recommended approval and will forward the item with suggested conditions to the Board of County Commissioners for final action.