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Plan commission approves 175-foot wireless monopole at Huntley industrial site; chairwoman objects
Summary
The Village of Huntley Plan Commission on Sept. 25 approved a special‑use permit for a 175‑foot wireless monopole at 11245 Huntley‑Dundee Road, allowing a 50' x 50' fenced lease area and attachment rules; the vote was 4–1 with Chairwoman Dawn Ellison voting no over aesthetic concerns.
The Village of Huntley Plan Commission voted 4–1 on Sept. 25 to approve Petition No. 23‑09.01, a special‑use permit to install a 175‑foot wireless telecommunication monopole and a 50‑by‑50‑foot fenced equipment lease area at 11245 Huntley‑Dundee Road.
Development Services Director Charles Nordman told the commission the site is on property occupied by Rico Inc. in the “M” Manufacturing District and that the lease area sits about 500 feet behind the front property line, screened by the existing building. The approval imposes conditions including removal of proposed barbed wire from the fence, paving a 20‑by‑50‑foot turnaround adjacent to the gate, running all cables internal to the monopole, and requirements that any future colocations or new tenants obtain separate special‑use permits. The commission also authorized a removal/abatement process if the facility ceases operations for more than 12 months.
Petitioner representatives said the pole will be engineered to industry standards and to support multiple carriers. Mike Bieniek, representing the petitioner, said the lease area was sited in the middle of the lot to avoid floodplain and wetlands and to preserve existing parking. He also told the commission the monopole is designed to meet Telecommunications Industry Association standards (ANSI/TIA‑222‑H) and that the monopole has a designed “crimp” point so it would fall onto itself in a failure scenario.
Commissioners asked about tax or other municipal revenue from the installation, the pole’s capacity to accept up to four tenants, expected coverage of roughly two to four miles, and whether FAA lighting would be required. Bieniek said co‑location would trigger structural load recalculations and that lighting would be installed only if required by the FAA.
Chairwoman Dawn Ellison was the lone dissenting vote, saying she opposed the tower’s placement because it would be visible from Dundee‑Huntley Road and the adjacent Fieldstone residential neighborhood and would harm Huntley’s aesthetics. Supporters on the commission said the site is set back from the road and landscape screening would reduce visibility.
The motion to approve was moved by Commissioner Jeff Peterson, seconded by Commissioner Joseph Holtorf, and carried 4–1–0. The special‑use approval is subject to the conditions reviewed on the record.
The commission’s action does not itself authorize building permits or certificates of occupancy; those remain subject to separate approvals and final engineering review.
