Planning commission delays vote on Lumen fiber‑optic substation to seek technical, safety and road agreements

The Marion County Planning Commission on June 24 postponed action on a conditional use permit application (PC2604) from Lumen/Level 3 for a fiber‑optic substation in the county’s southwest corner to allow time for the applicant and staff to respond in writing to technical and safety questions.

Joe Hassell, the civil engineer on the project, and Justin Reynolds from Lumen described the proposal as a phased site of modular shelters (24 by 36 feet), security fencing, two backup generators in phase‑1 and limited monthly maintenance visits. Justin Reynolds said the enclosures would house fiber racks and amplifiers — "just fiber racks of a lot of fiber coming in and then getting boosted and then fiber going back out" — and that Lumen did not propose to include data storage nodes or high‑performance compute devices (TPUs/accelerators) in the shelters.

Technical answers remained incomplete during the hearing. Lumen representatives estimated peak power draw at about 300 kilowatts per shelter and said each shelter would have a dedicated 300‑kW generator and roughly 600‑gallon fuel tanks; they said battery backup sizing would be provided later and that typical systems include UPS capacity to bridge to generator startup, but they did not supply final battery‑storage specifications at the hearing. Commissioners and members of the public pressed for clarity on battery capacity and compliance with the county’s battery moratorium, nighttime generator testing limits, noise limits at the property line, fire suppression requirements inside shelters, and whether the county should require a road‑maintenance agreement to address construction impacts.

Staff’s recommendation had been to approve the CUP with standard conditions and two site‑specific items (including an abandonment removal clause after 12 months of nonuse). Several commissioners said they wanted additional, enforceable conditions written into the development plan before the matter is forwarded to the Board of County Commissioners, including a clear limit to the 3‑acre site approved, full shielding for exterior lighting, daytime‑only generator testing, a documented fire‑suppression system for each shelter, battery sizing consistent with the county moratorium, and a road‑maintenance agreement to address construction traffic impacts. After discussion, a motion to postpone the case for one month so staff and the applicant could produce a complete development plan and written commitments carried.

Commissioners emphasized that the facility, as presented, functions as a long‑haul repeater on a national backbone and — as the applicant said — does not directly provide lateral broadband to local homes unless later investment is made; several commissioners suggested limiting the permit to the stated 3 acres and requiring any expansion to return for a new CUP.

The postponement gives staff and Lumen time to supply the requested technical specifications and to either accept or negotiate the commission’s proposed conditions before the commission reconvenes the case.