Zoning committee approves 250-foot Sawyer County radio tower to support new public-safety system

The Sawyer County Zoning Committee voted to approve Conditional Use Permit (CUP) 25‑045 for a 250‑foot self‑support radio tower in the town of Draper to support a new county public‑safety radio system.

Why it matters: Committee members and the applicant said the tower is central to a new public‑safety radio network contracted by the county. The county will own the tower if built, which committee members were told would be less costly over 15 years than leasing space from a private tower operator.

Gencom vice president Gary Pelletier told the committee the tower would “fill in almost the entire eastern part of Sawyer County” and extend coverage into Price County, where existing towers do not provide full service. Pelletier said a 15‑year cost comparison showed a county‑owned tower would cost the county about $758,000 over 15 years versus a lease cost that would be “less than half” for ownership versus leasing. He also said commercial lease offers in the area run about $3,400 per month with a 3 percent escalator.

Zoning staff reported the application complied with applicable Sawyer County setback, floodplain and zoning requirements and had been deemed complete. The proposed tower’s fall zone was shown as 100 feet in a fall‑zone letter provided with the application, and the administrative report noted the tower location would be 105 feet from the State Highway 70 right‑of‑way.

The town of Draper’s official written recommendation could not be located in time for the hearing; staff said the town clerk was out of town, though minutes indicating approval were included in committee materials. The county zoning administrator read recommended conditions that include securing a county land‑use permit, posting a permit bond unless the county retains ownership, compliance with town, county, state and federal laws, and obtaining a fire number/site address.

Supervisor Kaye Wilson moved to approve CUP 25‑045 with conditions 1–4 in the zoning administrator’s staff report and findings of fact 1, 2, 3 and 6. Supervisor Dale Magnuson seconded the motion. Roll call votes were: Dale Magnuson — yes; Kaye Wilson — yes; Tweed Schumann — yes; Marshall Savitsky — yes; Steve Cariannon — yes. The motion carried.

Committee members asked whether the county could generate lease income by leasing space on the tower; Pelletier replied that the county could lease space to cellular carriers. The vendor also noted possible collocation opportunities that could be used by the state WISCOM system to reduce other sites’ costs.

Ending: The committee approved the tower permit with conditions; staff will process the required land‑use permit, bonding and addressing steps described in the staff report. Committee members described the approval as a fiscally driven decision to own infrastructure for the county radio system.