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Board schedules follow-up public hearing after county and pilots clash over MET tower lighting
Summary
Stevens County commissioners heard extensive public comment and technical briefings about marking and lighting for a proposed meteorological (MET) tower; the board set a follow-up public hearing to consider amending permit conditions after staff reported the tower manufacturer cannot provide a daytime strobe light.
Stevens County commissioners heard more than an hour of public comment and technical briefing about the marking and lighting of a proposed temporary meteorological (MET) tower, and set a follow-up public hearing to consider amending permit language that had required additional daytime lighting.
The tower applicant and an advisor said the manufacturer’s pre-engineered tower cannot support a daytime strobe light and that the power system is designed to operate dusk-to-dawn; the applicant said the tower can meet FAA and MnDOT guidance by using marker sleeves and a dusk-to-dawn infrared-compatible light but cannot accommodate a daytime strobe without a custom-engineered solution.
Pilots and an agricultural aviation representative urged the board to require additional daytime lighting; they cited the FAA’s October 2024 advisory circular recommending voluntary marking for smaller MET towers and emphasizing safety for low-level flight operations. The aviation representative, Charity Carlson of Carlson Ag Aviation, said her company operates about 15 similar towers nationally and none have daytime running lights.
Planning staff and the applicant recommended “truing up” the IUP/permit language to reflect what the tower manufacturer can supply. Legal staff advised that any modification removing or materially changing conditions already attached to the interim use permit (IUP) would require a public hearing. The board directed staff to set a public hearing at the board’s next regular meeting (June 17 at 10:00 a.m.) to revisit the permit conditions.
Why it matters: Pilots and agricultural operators said daytime marking could affect low-altitude aviation safety. County staff must balance FAA and MnDOT guidance, engineering constraints from the tower manufacturer, and the public’s safety concerns while following county procedures for amending planning approvals.
What happened next: the board did not change the permit at the meeting; it scheduled a public hearing for the next regular meeting so the public and technical experts can be heard before any amendment is approved.
