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Elbert County approves three meteorological towers for wind data collection with standard conditions
Summary
The Board approved three special‑use‑by‑review applications for meteorological (MET) towers (SUR20240109, SUR20240114, SUR20242490). Staff and planning commission recommended conditions including fee payment, recording, FAA/FCC compliance and removal after data collection; commissioners debated but declined to add a mandatory owner/applicant de‑pro
The Elbert County Board of County Commissioners on June 11 approved three special‑use‑by‑review (SUR) permits to install meteorological towers for wind and environmental data collection at three separate parcels (SUR20240109 — Worrell property; SUR20240114 — Hurtnecki property; SUR20242490 — Chambers property).
Staff said each MET tower is a temporary, non‑broadcasting structure; two towers would be 60 meters high and one (Hurtnecki) would be 81.3 meters (about 266 feet). The tallest tower will carry aviation marking and a light in conformance with federal aviation regulations; the towers will be guyed, mounted on a small platform, powered by a small solar panel and data logger, and fenced to exclude livestock around guy‑wire anchors and the tower base. Staff reported FAA determinations of no hazard and that the applicant used the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 2022 “Communications Tower” bird‑friendly recommendations as best practices.
Planning commission recommended approval (6–1) with conditions including removal of public hearing signs within 14 days, payment of fees (including a 2% construction cost fee) and recordation of exhibits within 180 days. Planning commission and staff also discussed possible additional conditions: removal of towers within 120 days after lease conclusion or project cancellation and a suggested five‑year time frame for SUR entitlements. The applicant said they are amenable to a decommissioning timeline (agreeing to remove towers within 120 days after lease termination or end of data collection) but asked the board to avoid strict fixed timelines because data‑collection needs are uncertain.
Commissioner Schroeder argued against imposing a mandatory decommissioning/contract enforcement condition and against setting an arbitrary five‑year time limit on SURs, saying such requirements would insert the county into private agreements and create enforcement burdens. Other commissioners expressed similar concerns about enforcement. The applicant’s representatives, legal and technical teams (attorney, underwriter, engineer), explained SID mechanics and how the towers require minimal infrastructure and limited road impact. The board then approved each SUR in separate motions; the record shows the motions carried with “All in favor, aye” on each vote.
Conditions attached to approval include compliance with FAA/FCC requirements, payment of fees prior to recordation, removal of public hearing signs within 14 days of the decision, and recordation of required exhibits within 180 days. Staff also retained discretion to include the Elbert County Communications Authority as a referral agency and to enforce typical permit conditions. The record shows no public testimony in opposition; one neighbor asked whether the towers were tied to the Colorado Power Pathway project, to which the applicant responded they were not.
