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Yuma County approves satellite antenna permit in Dateland, reverts a Somerton rezoning
Summary
The Board approved Special Use Permit Case No. 26-01 to allow a self-supported satellite antenna near Dateland subject to FAA/FCC and Yuma Proving Ground conditions, and reverted Rezoning Case No. 22-11 in Somerton back to RA-10 after the property failed to meet development schedule conditions.
The Yuma County Board of Supervisors approved two planning and zoning actions on June 1: a special use permit for a satellite antenna in Dateland and the reversion of a previously authorized rezoning in Somerton.
Planning staff presented Special Use Permit Case No. 26-01, in which Brian Mathews (agent for Cullison Farm Properties) sought approval to construct a self-supported satellite antenna approximately 87 feet 9 inches tall on a 160-acre parcel zoned RA-40 in Dateland. The Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval subject to conditions. The Board approved the permit (motion Lines/Simmons, voice vote 4-0) and attached performance and operational conditions including submission of a Military Training Routes disclosure, an Agriculture disclosure and Infrastructure disclosure within 60 days, legal and physical access within 180 days, FAA and FCC compliance (marking, lighting, notifications), prior submittal of exact uplink/downlink frequencies and power outputs to the Yuma Proving Ground Electronic Warfare Team, an Obstruction Evaluation Airport Airspace Analysis for Project No. 2026-3-T-SG-08 before permits are issued, and removal of the antenna if use ceases.
The Board also held a reversion hearing for Rezoning Case No. 22-11 (Assessor's Parcel No. 754-37-012, Somerton). Staff told the Board the required Schedule for Development was not met following the original approval on October 3, 2022 and a two-year extension granted in December 2023; the Board voted (motion Pancrazi/Lines, voice vote 4-0) to revert the property to its prior RA-10 zoning classification. Staff said reversion will leave the parcel as a single 10-acre parcel and noted outreach to the current owner's spouse without additional public input.
The approvals include specific conditions intended to protect military test ranges and airspace and to confirm legal access and infrastructure readiness before the Dateland antenna becomes operational.
