Show Low planning commission approves Verizon ‘monopine’ cell tower amid resident opposition

The Show Low Planning and Zoning Commission approved a conditional use permit for a Verizon cell site at 1850 South White Mountain Road on Jan. 14, 2025, voting unanimously on a voice vote after staff recommended approval.

The permit, submitted by Linda Grice of Young Design Group on behalf of Verizon Wireless, authorizes a disguised “monopine” tower at the White Mountain Theater parcel (APN 210-32-032). Director Togaskis told the commission the proposed tower location meets setback, separation and fall-zone requirements in the city code and that required notices and transmittal memos were sent to agencies and property owners.

Staff said the engineered fall zone for the tower is 65 feet, which under the city’s 125% fall-zone setback requirement results in a required setback of roughly 81 feet to any adjoining lot line; the proposal exceeds that minimum. Staff measured the nearest existing tower at about 1,800 feet from the proposed site and noted the city’s minimum separation requirement between towers is 1,500 feet. The site plan submitted to staff shows the monopine sited near the rear parking area at the base of a slope behind the theater rather than on the slope itself, with the theater’s base elevation and the proposed tower base both at about 6,390 feet above sea level.

Why it matters: commissioners and staff framed the decision as a code-compliance determination tied to service coverage. Multiple residents told the commission they worry about visual impacts, property values and possible health effects from…