Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Telecommunications topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commissioners approve two CloudOne telecommunications towers after planning commission recommendation
Summary
After planning commission review and public comment, the Houston County board approved conditional-use permits for 300‑foot and other proposed towers in Mayville and Wilmington townships; applicants say extra height and siting will improve rural coverage including emergency response.
The Houston County Board of Commissioners on Oct. 14 approved two conditional‑use permits (CUPs) for telecommunications towers proposed by CloudOne Services LLC in Mayville Township and Wilmington Township.
Mayville Township site: staff said the Mayville tower is proposed north of Caledonia on property owned by Alan Barb Schmidt and would be a 300‑foot guyed tower designed to accommodate up to four tenants, with AT&T identified as a prospective anchor tenant. The application had been continued from earlier hearings after a submitting competitor filed a late comment questioning need; planning staff and the planning commission reviewed the comment and recommended approval with two standard conditions. Commissioners discussed close proximity to an existing 200‑foot tower, coverage benefits for emergency responders and the general challenge of spotty coverage in parts of the county.
Wilmington Township site: the Wilmington site drew no public opposition at the hearing and is in a more rural location with fewer neighboring dwellings; planning commission recommended approval with standard conditions.
Technical and safety notes: Sean Hempstead, director of site development for GSS (a technical representative on the tower designs), addressed tower‑collapse design and safety. He said guyed towers can be designed to “collapse” or fail in a controlled way, and described designing break points so a failed tower would be expected to fall within a prescribed shorter distance (he cited design-to‑collapse at roughly 40% of tower height for the design approach described). He said the nearest residence on one site was about 200 feet away and the nearest property line roughly 300 feet away based on his notes; commissioners and applicants discussed separation distances and whether the county ordinance should be revised to require larger separation or monopole (unguyed) designs as some neighboring counties do.
Outcome: both CUPs were approved by voice vote. Planning staff will record the permits and monitor compliance with conditions.
