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Scotts Bluff County OKs conditional use permit for new cell tower south of Morrill
Summary
After a public hearing and planning commission recommendation, the Scotts Bluff County Board of Commissioners approved a conditional-use permit for a new Tillman Infrastructure cell tower on property owned by Rob Ford, subject to seven standard conditions including permits, a removal/restoration agreement and a required zoning permit before construction.
The Scotts Bluff County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to approve a conditional-use permit for a new cell tower proposed by Tillman Infrastructure on property owned by Rob Ford and family.
During a public hearing, county planning staff outlined seven standard conditions attached to the permit, including compliance with federal, state and local laws; required permits; limiting the approved scope to the site shown in the application materials; a required zoning permit to address floodplain and airport constraints; and an owner/operator agreement to remove equipment and restore the parcel within six months after decommissioning.
Developer representative Ryan Straff of Powder River Development explained technical details of the site and lease. Straff said the company’s lease for the tower compound reserves a 100-by-100-foot area under the tower, with guide-wire easements and access roads handled separately as easements obtained from the landowner. Property owner Rob Ford told the board the fenced compound and surveyed meets-and-bounds were on the submitted plat and that the actual fenced area and anchor points were small and compatible with continued grazing.
Several commissioners asked for clarity on acreage and fall‑radius concerns; Straff and Ford said the compound footprint is limited (100-by-100 feet under the tower, with guide-wire easements extending beyond) and that the county’s CAD office could calculate an exact acreage to add as a condition if the board wanted it included in the permit record. Planning staff said the planning commission had recommended approval 6–0 and that the conditions mirrored prior tower approvals.
After closing the public hearing, the board moved to approve the permit with the recommended conditions. The clerk recorded five yes votes and the motion carried.
The permit requires completion of the applicable zoning permit and submission of the removal/restoration agreement before construction may begin. The board did not alter the planning commission’s recommended conditions.
