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Morgan County discusses reserving space on commercial towers for public-safety radio equipment
Summary
County commissioners debated whether to require commercial tower permits to reserve rent-free space for public-safety radio equipment and referred a potential ILP ordinance amendment to the planning commission for further review.
Marshall brought a request to the Morgan County Commission to consider requiring that commercial cell towers set aside space for public-safety radio equipment and provide rent-free ground area for future county equipment. The issue arose because existing commercial towers sometimes lack capacity or affordable rental options for public-safety radio gear.
Commissioners acknowledged there is nothing in the current ordinance that compels a commercial tower owner to reserve space for public-safety use. The group discussed negotiating such arrangements case-by-case, using lease language when feasible, or drafting a discrete amendment to the county’s ILP (permit) ordinance to create a standardized exhibit for towers that would specify required space in exchange for permits.
Commissioners recommended taking the proposed change to the planning commission for deliberate review rather than imposing a sudden requirement. The meeting included technical points about typical tower space requirements (several feet up a 300-foot tower) and the high rental cost for equipment space on towers. No formal vote was taken; direction was to place an ordinance amendment on the planning commission agenda for evaluation and legal review.
A county staff member noted that in at least one prior contract (with VertBridge), space for county public-safety equipment had been negotiated and included in the agreement; the county attorney had reviewed that contract previously.
Next steps: planning commission consideration and, if warranted, drafting an ILP amendment specifying technical and legal parameters for reserve space on commercial towers.
