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Commission approves Verizon 176-foot tower permit after debate over engineer and hydrologist costs
Summary
Traverse County approved a conditional use permit for a 176-foot Verizon wireless tower and reverted conditional-use permit fees to 2020 language; commissioners debated hiring a hydrologist and geotechnical engineer and who should pay for preliminary work before later approving preliminary discussions with consultants to be paid by the applicant.
A Conditional Use Permit for a 176-foot self-supporting Verizon wireless telecommunication tower was approved unanimously by the Traverse County Commission Aug. 6, after zoning staff presented the application and Planning Commission findings.
Zoning Administrator Ben Oleson reviewed the CUP and recommended approval with the Planning Commission’s conditions; Commissioner Jerrel Olson moved to approve and the motion carried unanimously. Commissioners then debated conditional-use permit fee language: an initial motion to adopt a fee equal to 3% of project cost was rescinded after concern it could deter business, and a subsequent motion to revert to the 2020 base-fee language passed 4–1 with Commissioner Kayla Schmidt opposed.
The board also considered hiring Midwest Geological Consultants (hydrologist) and Terracon (geotechnical engineer) to provide professional review related to the proposed project and reimbursements by the applicant (Riverview). Two motions to have the consultants hired with Riverview covering costs failed 2–3. Later, Commissioner Jerrel Olson moved to authorize the consultants to conduct preliminary discussions with Riverview and for Riverview to cover the cost of those discussions; that motion was seconded by Chad Metz and approved unanimously. Commissioners Nelson and Metz were designated to join those preliminary discussions. The hiring for the project itself will be considered at a later meeting.
