Commissioners approve 80‑ft Blackmoor tower for Union Wireless under FCC rip‑and‑replace; easements, removal of old tower required

The Natrona County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve a conditional use permit for a new 80‑foot telecommunications tower at the Blackmoor site on July 8.

Planning staff presented CUP 26‑02 and said the application — submitted by SAC Wireless on behalf of Union Telephone Company (DBA Union Wireless) — is part of the FCC’s rip‑and‑replace program, which funds replacement of certain equipment deemed a national‑security risk. Staff reported one resident letter of opposition that was later withdrawn after the applicant agreed to switch from a lattice tower to a monopole and to remove the older 50‑foot structure.

Chris Schlax of SAC Wireless told the board the existing lattice tower cannot structurally support the new antennas and equipment, and that Union Wireless is working to secure access easements. “We are in agreement with the removal of the old tower within one year of the new tower being built and operational,” Schlax said, adding the applicant will ensure the network is operational on the new tower before dismantling the old structure.

Planning and zoning recommended approval with conditions: recorded access easements prior to construction and removal of the 50‑foot tower within one year of the new tower's operation. A commissioner moved to approve the CUP with an explicit condition that the replacement be a monopole; that amendment was added, and the board voted in favor.

The approval carries the conditions identified by staff and the planning board; construction cannot begin until easements are in place and the building‑permit submission documents the monopole design and site details.

The decision authorizes the county’s planning staff to monitor the easement recording and the one‑year removal window for the existing tower.