The Lake County Planning Commission voted to approve a Major Use Permit and adopt a Mitigated Negative Declaration for a 150‑foot lattice wireless communications tower proposed by Sequoia on behalf of Verizon Wireless at 16200 East Highway 20, Clear Lake Oaks.

Trish Turner, an associate planner with Lake County Community Development, told commissioners the project includes nine antennas, three microwave antennas, remote radio units, a 30‑kilowatt diesel generator and a 147‑gallon diesel fuel storage tank. Turner said the site sits on a hilltop already developed with an existing wireless facility and PG&E transmission towers and would “benefit the local community, emergency service providers, and visitors by enabling better cell coverage in the Clear Lake Oaks area.”

The staff report recommended a Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS 2403) and approval of Use Permit PL‑2560 UP 24‑03, finding the project consistent with the Lake County General Plan, the Shoreline Communities Area Plan and relevant zoning code provisions. Staff indicated the site lies roughly 25 feet outside the Scenic Combining District setback and that, with mitigation, identified environmental effects would be less than significant.

Commissioners questioned whether colocation on the existing on‑site AT&T tower was feasible and asked about potential effects on birds and site access. The applicant’s representative, Justin Verndec of Sequoia Deployment Services, said colocation was infeasible because the geometry would not meet coverage objectives and that Verizon accepts staff’s proposed conditions, including the added 300‑foot vegetation clearance to reduce wildfire risk. Verndec said the proposed tower would be ready to accommodate two additional service providers after construction.

Public commenters expressed both support and concern. Fire officials and residents urged robust defensible‑space and road‑access measures given the site’s location in a high fire‑severity area along the Highway 20 corridor. Holly Harris, a Clear Lake Oaks resident and East Region Town Hall council member, said she wanted to see CAL FIRE and local fire district comments on record. Chief Paul Duncan (on the record during public comment) supported improved communications for emergency response but emphasized the need for clearance and access standards to protect the facility during wildfires.

After discussion, a commissioner moved to find the project’s potential impacts could be mitigated to less than significant through the Mitigated Negative Declaration and to approve the use permit with the staff‑recommended conditions as amended to add a 300‑foot fire‑safety clearance. The motion was seconded and carried by the commission. Staff reminded the applicant that the county’s zoning ordinance allows seven calendar days to file an appeal to the Board of Supervisors.

The project will proceed under the conditions adopted by the Planning Commission, including the specified vegetation‑clearance requirement and other standard conditions listed in the staff report. Any appeal must be filed within the seven‑day statutory period.