Commission denies a rezone request but approves variance for remote cell tower

Natrona County commissioners voted on two land‑use items during the public‑hearing portion of Tuesday’s meeting.

ZC25‑01 (Gensbach Construction): Planning staff recommended denial of a request to reclassify a roughly 17.36‑acre parcel at 4620 SE Wyoming Boulevard from urban residential to urban agricultural so the owner could build a barn and shelter animals. Staff described the request as spot zoning that would confer special privileges on a single parcel and said the planning and zoning commission denied the request as well. After a public hearing in which two residents spoke in favor, the commission voted to deny the rezone; one commissioner recorded an opposition vote.

VC25‑03 (Rattlesnake Bend Tower): The commission then considered a variance requested by Rocky Mountain Towers to allow a 300‑foot cellular communications tower with reduced setbacks (proposed 100 feet from one property line) on a 41‑acre parcel along State Highway 220. Planning staff and the planning commission recommended approval, citing industry standard setback approaches and the applicant’s structural engineering showing breakpoint technology intended to limit collapse to a small radius. Applicant Shelly Nees said the site was selected to provide continuous highway coverage where the nearest tower is about seven miles away. The board voted to approve the variance, incorporating staff findings.

The rezone denial prevents the requested land‑use change; the variance approval allows construction to proceed subject to conditions in the planning staff recommendation and any required building permits.