Planning commission approves T‑Mobile expansion at Big Bend Road tower, requires road‑haul agreement

The Pennington County Planning Commission on July 28 approved a telecommunications facility permit to expand the leased area of an existing tower at 13100 Big Bend Road and add T‑Mobile antennas, while adding a requirement that the applicant and the Big Bend Road District meet to determine whether a road‑haul agreement for damage and repairs is needed before a building permit is filed.

The item matters because residents who live near the tower raised concerns about heavy equipment traffic, access across private property and electromagnetic emissions, and commissioners added a condition intended to protect township roads used to access the site.

Megan Talmadge, planner, introduced the item as “to expand the leased area of an existing telecommunications tower and equipment shelter” and said the application included a visualization of the extended fenced area. The permit request would enlarge the fenced lease area and place T‑Mobile equipment on a raised steel platform inside the fence rather than inside a large enclosed shelter.

Property owner Mark Frederick,…