Planning commission approves 75-foot cell monopole at 5750 Baseline Road

The Roseville Planning Commission voted to approve a conditional use permit (PL25-0335) to allow a 75-foot cellular transmission monopole, equipment cabinet and emergency generator in a 30-by-30-foot lease area at 5750 Baseline Road.

Associate Planner Eric Singer summarized staff's recommendation, saying the project fits the site’s community commercial zoning within the Sierra Vista specific plan and that a radio-frequency exposure report prepared by Waterford Consultants shows the facility complies with FCC regulations. Singer told commissioners the project includes photo simulations and that staff concluded the monopole would present the slimmest feasible profile for this largely undeveloped area.

Mark Lobaugh of Epic Wireless, representing AT&T, told the commission the company had worked on possible locations for years and that the self-storage site provides effective screening and suitability. Lobaugh said the 75-foot height was chosen to allow future carriers to colocate on the structure and that the design includes FirstNet capability for first responders and a backup generator to maintain service during outages.

"This site will accommodate all the future development that will go out there," Lobaugh said, adding that the project was intended to address persistent coverage gaps to the north.

During questioning, staff and the applicant explained how additional carriers would be sited (typically by adding antenna arrays below the initial center line) and discussed visual impacts shown in the photo simulations. Staff noted that modest height extensions are allowed under modification provisions (typically up to about 20 feet) while larger height increases would require a new discretionary review.

Resident Kate Rosenweeb, who said she lives in West Roseville, spoke in support and described paying for a home signal booster that did not sufficiently improve service. "We have third‑world cell phone coverage, and it's not safe," she told the commission, adding that neighborhood testing of a nearby Verizon array did not improve signal for her area.

Planning Manager Lauren Hawker and Senior Planner Derek Ogden told commissioners the city encourages carriers to evaluate commercial and other nonresidential parcels and that the city’s IT department is actively working with wireless providers to identify feasible, city‑owned locations when appropriate.

Vice Chair Brashears moved to adopt the initial study and negative declaration, adopt the findings in the staff report, and approve the conditional use permit; the motion passed on roll call. The chair announced a standard 10‑day appeal period.

Votes at a glance - Consent calendar (minutes from 05/28/2026): approved by roll call (one abstention recorded on the consent item). - Conditional use permit, PL25‑0335 (5750 Baseline Road): motion to adopt the initial study and negative declaration and approve the CUP — approved on roll call; a 10‑day appeal period applies.

What happens next The approval is subject to the city’s 10‑day appeal window; if no appeal is filed, staff will proceed with the ministerial permitting steps described in the staff report and the applicant may return with any required building or modification permits for the monopole and related equipment.