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Petersburg commissioners map possible cell‑tower overlay and weigh data‑center rules amid power questions
Summary
Commissioners reviewed candidate locations for a cell‑tower overlay (including borough and Forest Service parcels), discussed carrier spacing, FAA constraints and estimated Forest Service lease costs of about $3,000–$5,000 per acre; they also flagged a proposed 'edge' data center on the Borough Assembly agenda and asked staff to pursue ordinance language and power‑capacity data.
Commissioners at the May 12 Petersburg Borough Planning Commission meeting spent an extended portion of the session discussing a proposed wireless communications overlay and whether to prepare zoning language and a parcel map to designate by‑right sites for towers.
During commissioner comments an elected member presented photographs and parcel map views of borough property behind the fire hall and near the water-treatment plant and recommended those locations as candidates for an overlay. The presenter said the candidate parcels appeared to meet carrier spacing criteria (roughly a 2.5-mile radius between towers) and would put towers away from residences while still serving town.
The commission discussed technical and regulatory constraints: FAA setbacks and flight-path considerations near the airport; the effect of topography on coverage; and the practical trade-offs of siting near existing roads and utilities versus more remote leases. The presenter noted that some candidate sites are Forest Service land and reported an estimated Forest Service lease cost of about $3,000–$5,000 per acre per year.
Staff briefed the panel on process: drafting an overlay requires a mapped set of parcels plus code language that defines what will be allowed on those parcels (for example, a by‑right building‑permit use inside the overlay). Commissioners agreed to each bring proposed parcel suggestions and ownership information to the next meeting so staff can prepare public‑notice materials if the panel advances an action item.
Separately, commissioners raised the growing prospect of data centers in Petersburg. One commissioner said an "edge" data center (a small facility roughly the size of a retail unit or shipping container) was on the Borough Assembly agenda that evening. Members asked Power and Light staff to quantify available capacity — including the expected contribution of a third turbine due online in 2027 — and flagged the need to consider ordinance language that would allow small edge facilities while limiting large, power‑hungry data centers.
A commissioner suggested exploring local micro‑hydro resources as a potential supplemental generation source, estimating that small streams could yield on the order of 1,000–3,000 watts each in continuous output and proposing the idea as part of a longer-term power strategy. A member of the public, Lisa Browning, urged the commission to include routine environmental testing in any data‑center ordinance, citing a recent settlement elsewhere involving wastewater contamination.
Commissioners directed staff to assemble overlay maps, distribute ordinance samples (staff noted Anchorage's recent ordinance), and coordinate with Power and Light to return with capacity information at a future meeting.
