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Commission approves 10-foot extension to Union Pacific radio tower for AT&T service upgrade on Sorensen Avenue
Summary
The commission approved a conditional use permit to extend an existing 84-foot Union Pacific lattice tower by 10 feet to host new wireless equipment for AT&T; staff classified the project as a categorical CEQA exemption and said the equipment would improve local coverage.
The Santa Fe Springs Planning Commission approved Conditional Use Permit (CUP) Case No. 852 by a 5-0 vote to allow the installation of a wireless telecommunication facility on an existing Union Pacific lattice tower at 8636 Sorensen Avenue.
Associate planner Jimmy Wong presented the item and said the applicant, SmartLink on behalf of AT&T Wireless, proposes a 10-foot extension that would bring the tower’s total height to 94 feet 2 inches and increase the antenna width by about 6 feet. Wong told commissioners the extension is intended to “enhance service quality and reliability for customer in the area.”
Staff determined the project to be categorically exempt under the city’s CEQA guidelines for existing facilities (Class 1) and noted that the addition falls within the 20-foot threshold for a non-substantial change to an existing installation. Public noticing was completed by mail to property owners within 500 feet and by publication in the Los Cerritos Community Newspaper on Feb. 28, 2025.
Commissioners asked about maximum allowed heights, fall risk and radiation differences compared with prior uses. Staff said the city does not set a maximum height for wireless installations and that the 1:1 setback standard applies to new wireless sites; because this is an existing rail-radio tower, the project qualifies for the allowed increase. Staff also said the existing closest structures are railroad-related office buildings and that liability for the tower would rest with the tower owner if a collapse occurred. On radio emissions, staff clarified the existing tower had been used for rail radio and the proposed installation would be a single-carrier co-location.
There were no public comments. The commission adopted Resolution No. 283-2025 incorporating the findings and conditions in the staff recommendation. The roll-call vote was: Commissioner Flores — Aye; Commissioner Cervantes — Aye; Commissioner Ayala — Aye; Vice Chair Jimenez — Aye; Chair Sarno — Aye. A 14-day appeal period applies to the action.
The proposal identifies the property as industrial and stated the site is adjacent to a Union Pacific rail yard. The staff report framed the project as compatible with surrounding industrial uses and aimed at improving data service and capacity for the area.
