Buffalo County approves special-use permit for 258-foot Verizon tower on Eagle Road

The Buffalo County Board of Commissioners voted July 11 to approve a special-use permit allowing Verizon Wireless to erect a 258-foot self-support communications tower on tax parcel 440057000, with the location assigned the street address 17430 Eagle Road for emergency and public information purposes.

The public hearing was opened by Zoning Administrator Dennise Daniels; Jeffrey Skinner, appearing on behalf of Verizon Wireless, answered questions from the Board. The Board moved (Loeffelholz) and seconded (Lynch) to approve Resolution 2023-37 and voted unanimously among present members (Maendele absent).

Resolution 2023-37 notes that the Planning and Zoning Commission forwarded the application with a favorable recommendation, and that the application included a Federal Aviation Administration Determination of No Hazard exhibit, a structural design report, and Verizon project specifications. The resolution approves a 100-by-100-foot leased facility area, requires a 30-foot access and utility easement, and documents that the proposed tower’s setbacks and collapse buffer would keep the tower on the subject property if it fell.

The Board’s conditions require a backup generator sized to maintain communications at historic delivery rates during public power outages and call for the facility to comply with all applicable state and federal regulations. The resolution also requires a sign at the entryway providing the assigned street address for 911 purposes and reserves the Board’s authority to review compliance and revoke the permit for failure to meet conditions after notice and a public hearing.

Jeffrey Skinner was the applicant representative on record and Melvin Parker was identified as the property owner; Dennise Daniels served as the zoning administrator during the hearing. The Board recorded the action as Resolution 2023-37.