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Planning Commission approves Harmony Towers use permit after staff says RF levels comply and public cites 911 coverage gaps
Summary
The commission approved Use Permit 25‑04 for a 129‑foot monopine at 17740 Bowman Road. Staff said the RF report shows exposure well below FCC limits and coverage maps show limited service in the valley; a resident urged improved 911 capability in Bowman/Evergreen.
The Tehama County Planning Commission on April 16 approved Use Permit 25‑04 for a proposed 129‑foot telecommunications tower at 17740 Bowman Road, finding the project complies with county standards and federal RF exposure limits.
Staff planner Greg Redeker summarized the proposal as a stealth monopine sited on the north side of Bowman Road near the old Bowman Hall. Redeker said the ground enclosure will be approximately 25 by 85 feet, the tower will initially host a single antenna array with space for additional carriers, and the RF report shows exposure levels well under federal limits — the staff presentation noted the project was measured at less than 12% of the allowed FCC standard for that site.
During the staff presentation commissioners and staff discussed nearby towers and whether an existing Verizon facility is within a five‑mile separation threshold. Commissioners identified a listing on antenna search websites; staff checked coordinates during a short recess and reported the database coordinates did not correspond to a tower visible from the Bowman Road location and that an identified tower about 2.7 miles away sits on the far side of a ridge and would not be readily visible.
A nearby resident who spoke during public comment said parts of the Bowman and Evergreen corridor have little or no reliable cellular service, that some households lack functional 911 cellphone capability, and urged commissioners to consider safety and evacuation constraints as the county grows. The resident described narrow, largely single‑exit roads and said older residents and school safety concerns increase the importance of improved coverage.
After hearing staff findings and the applicant’s representative (Philip Thomas of Precision Site Development) offer to answer questions, the commission voted to approve the use permit subject to findings and conditions in the staff report (attachments H and I). The record shows the commission carried the motion.
Staff also noted the project was proposed to rely on a categorical CEQA exemption; Redeker said the county has used similar exemptions elsewhere but that the approach has not frequently appeared in Tehama County.
The commission moved on to subsequent agenda items after taking the approval vote.
