Pima County denies Vertical Bridge/T‑Mobile conditional use permit near Saguaro National Park

The Pima County Board of Supervisors voted 4–1 to deny a request by Vertical Bridge LLC for a Type 3 conditional use permit (Case 24CU0007/2400007) to build an 80‑foot wireless communication tower on property at 10510 W. Massengale Road in the Picture Rocks area.

Supporters and opponents packed the hearing room and dozens submitted written comments. Vertical Bridge and T‑Mobile argued the facility would close a service gap and provide indoor service for roughly 2,000 additional residents. Opponents — mostly nearby homeowners — said the tower would harm views toward Panther Peak and the Saguaro National Park buffer, reduce property values and violate county zoning goals to minimize visual impacts.

Planning staff and the county hearing administrator had recommended approval with conditions, including limits on height and parcel configuration; the Planning & Zoning Commission recommended denial. The supervisors reopened the hearing to ask the applicant about candidate sites and technical justification before taking a final vote.

On the coverage question, Vertical Bridge’s RF engineer testified that closing the gap required a site within about 2 kilometers of the coverage objective and that lowering the structure to 50 feet or 10 feet would sharply reduce the number of residents served. Attorney Liz Walker for the applicant said the company had explored alternatives and made concessions on location and height in consultation with staff. Walker told the board the site would “provide service to over 2,000 additional residents.”

Opposition attorney Andrew Campanelli said the applicant had not supplied drive‑test data or other probative evidence showing a coverage gap for T‑Mobile at the specific location, and pointed to published FCC/T‑Mobile maps he said showed no significant gap at the site. “There is no evidence that anyone will derive any benefit,” Campanelli told the board. Multiple residents testified they had adequate service from other carriers and that the tower would be visually intrusive and sited within a county buffer overlay near Saguaro National Park.

After extended questioning of staff and the applicant, Supervisor Allen moved to close the hearing and affirm the Planning & Zoning Commission’s denial. The final roll‑call vote to deny the permit was 4–1: Supervisors Scott, Grijalva, Hines and Allen voted to deny; Supervisor Christie voted no. The board did not adopt any alternative conditions or remand the application; the denial stands pending any appeal or further action by the applicant.

What this means: The denial preserves the existing county decision‑making standard that weighs visual impacts, co‑location options and technical justification for new towers in rural and visually sensitive areas. Vertical Bridge may pursue administrative appeals or submit a new application with different site data or mitigations.

Votes and next steps: The board’s formal minute language records approval of the Planning & Zoning Commission’s recommendation to deny 24CU0007. The applicant may seek judicial or administrative review or pursue alternate sites. County staff said the hearing administrator’s report and the public record (including more than 50 opposed comment items and three in support) remain available for review.