City approves 120‑foot communications tower at substation in M‑1 district

Salt Lake City’s administrative hearing officer approved a conditional‑use petition Sept. 25 to allow a 120‑foot communications tower in an M‑1 (Light Manufacturing) district, replacing an existing 80‑foot tower at a substation site described in the application as "about 48 20 West and 700 South."

Planner Olivia told the hearing the proposed tower exceeds the M‑1 district base zone height (65 feet) and therefore requires administrative conditional‑use approval. She said the property is roughly 155 acres, the proposed tower is central on the parcel and is surrounded by other antennas above the 65‑foot height, that there are no nearby residential uses, and that the proposal aligns with the approval standards and several city goals. "This is an example of the 80 foot tower that is there now and what it will look like when ... if the 120 foot tower is approved to replace that 80 foot tower," Olivia said while showing photos and a site map.

Brian Nordlund, an engineer for Rocky Mountain Power and the applicant’s speaker at the hearing, said the tower would be placed within a substation and requested approval. "My name is Brian Nordlund. I'm an engineer for Rocky Mountain Power," he said. The hearing officer did not pose substantive questions to the applicant during that portion of the hearing.

Echeverria opened the public hearing; staff confirmed no public speakers, and he closed the hearing before announcing approval of the petition "as recommended by staff". The approval allows the applicant to proceed subject to the conditions and findings documented by planning staff in the application file.

Planning staff emphasized the project's location in a manufacturing district and the presence of existing tall antennas nearby in justifying the administrative approval; no public comments or objections were recorded at the hearing. The meeting then adjourned.