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Planning Commission renews AT&T use permit, approves generator replacement near Ukiah
Summary
On Aug. 21, 2025, the Mendocino County Planning Commission unanimously approved a use-permit modification to renew an expired permit for an AT&T wireless facility on Oak Knoll Road and to remove and replace an on-site generator with a quieter, enclosed unit.
The Mendocino County Planning Commission on Aug. 21 unanimously approved a use-permit modification (UM_2025_0002) that renews an expired use permit for an AT&T wireless communication facility on Oak Knoll Road, west of Ukiah, and authorizes removal of an existing generator and installation of a replacement generator and associated infrastructure.
County planner Liam Crowley told the commission the project consolidates a renewal of the underlying use permit (U25-2000) with the requested equipment modifications after staff discovered the permit had expired. Crowley said the replacement generator would be placed adjacent to the existing 55-foot monopole and equipped with a "level 2 sound attenuated enclosure" to reduce noise. He said a temporary generator is currently in use because the existing generator is out of service.
The proposed generator location is more than 1,000 feet from the nearest residence and more than 100 feet from the nearest stream, Crowley said, and the changes would not increase the tower height, antenna array width or radio-frequency emissions. Crowley also said the project "qualify[s] as what we call an eligible facilities request," pointing staff’s view that the modification fits federal streamlining criteria for certain communications-site changes. Staff recommended the commission find the project exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act under the existing-facilities exemption (14 CCR §15301) and approve the resolution with findings and conditions of approval, noting a correction to condition 5 to reference the Planning Commission rather than the Coastal Permit Administrator.
No members of the public commented, and the applicant was not present on Zoom. After the presentation commission members moved to adopt the resolution and conditions of approval, with the stated correction to condition 5. The roll call recorded yes votes from the chair, Commissioner Richards and Commissioner Pollan; two commissioners (Wiedemann and Jones) were absent by prearrangement. The motion passed unanimously among those present.
The site is within the Ukiah Valley area plan, which calls for placing utilities underground when feasible; county staff said undergrounding would occur where feasible for the proposed work. The application materials and a staff memo noting the condition correction were posted online and provided to commissioners before the meeting.
The commission’s action renews the wireless facility’s use permit for an additional 10-year term, allows removal of the existing generator, and permits installation of the new generator and related equipment as described in staff materials. No amendments to the tower height or antenna array were approved, and no changes to radio-frequency emissions were proposed or authorized.
The commission adjourned after the vote.
