Commission approves conditional use permit for commercial wireless antenna at Manila Park with fencing, geofabric and netting conditions

The Pleasant Grove Planning Commission approved a conditional use permit for New Singular Wireless PCS LLC (doing business as AT&T Mobility) to install a commercial wireless antenna on a city‑owned light pole in Manila Park at approximately 1555 North 100 East.

City planner Jacob Hawkins summarized the application and reminded commissioners that the same conditional use permit had been approved by the commission on March 24, 2022 but had expired after no construction occurred within the required 12 months; the applicant reapplied with essentially the same proposal. The project would attach an antenna to an existing park light pole serving the baseball field, add a ground‑mounted equipment cabinet and a diesel generator adjacent to the equipment cabinet. Staff noted the proposed monopole/antenna location meets the setback requirements and that the maximum allowable height is 100 feet; the proposed installation would meet required setbacks.

To mitigate visual and public‑safety concerns, staff recommended conditions consistent with city code and additional Parks and Recreation requests: installation of a view‑obscuring fence around the ground equipment (8–10 feet tall, because the cabinet is roughly 10.5 feet tall), placement of geofabric along the access path to protect landscaping where vehicles will cross, and coordination with Parks and Recreation staff during installation. Staff also said a lease agreement for use of city property must be prepared and approved by the City Council and that the lease would include a revised site plan and any additional conditions.

Commissioners asked practical questions, including how to retrieve balls if they enter the fenced equipment area from the baseball field and whether additional netting or buffers should be required on the field side to prevent errant baseballs entering the equipment enclosure. Commissioners confirmed that such measures could be added as conditions of the conditional use permit or set in the lease and agreed to require cabinet‑height verification during the lease review.

The commission approved the conditional use permit with the following modifications to staff recommendations: (1) installation of a view‑obscuring fence; (2) placement of geofabric along the access path; (3) coordination with Parks and Recreation at the time of installation; (4) completion and approval of a lease agreement by the City Council; (5) cabinet‑height situation to be addressed during the lease agreement process; (6) inclusion of netting (or equivalent mitigation) to prevent stray baseballs from entering the equipment area; and (7) satisfaction of all final planning, engineering and fire department requirements. The applicant was not present at the hearing; staff advised that lease details and maintenance responsibilities will be finalized with council and the Parks and Recreation Department.