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Brookings County approves conditional use permit for Towers LLC cell tower despite resident concerns
Summary
The Board approved a conditional-use permit for a wireless telecommunication tower (initial construction described as 195 feet, extendable to 250 feet) after staff findings and public comments about bald eagles, aviation and RF concerns; the board voted to approve and staff will mail approved copies.
The Brookings County Board of Adjustment approved a conditional-use permit for a wireless telecommunication tower proposed by Towers LLC and represented by Buell Consulting.
County staff read the applicant’s materials and findings. The application describes a 50-by-50-foot fenced tower compound with an equipment building and generator. Staff’s presentation said the maximum permitted tower height under the ordinance is 250 feet and described the initial constructed height as 195 feet, with the potential to extend to 250 feet in the future. Attachments submitted with the application included site plans, FCC guidance and an FAA/airspace summary.
Woody Croag, site development agent for Buell Consulting, told the board the initial tower would be built to 195 feet with a 4-foot lightning rod and that Verizon’s antennas would sit at about 190 feet. He said the site meets or exceeds county setback requirements for a 250-foot tower and that an analysis indicated notice to the FAA was not required for the initial configuration. Croag said future colocators might request greater height and that any extension would require proper permitting and any necessary aviation lighting.
Residents raised objections during the public hearing. Emily Fullencamp said she was concerned about bald eagles that nest nearby and noted SDSU aviation flight patterns in the area. She said the planned tower seemed too close to existing and new homes. Brian Brenner said federal RF standards are dated to the mid-1990s, expressed doubts about long-term effects of 5G and asked that the board consider impacts to homeowners and future lighting if the tower were later extended.
Richard read findings of fact concluding the request met applicable sections of the Brookings County zoning ordinance (Article 4 and Article 5) and enumerated required conditions and inspections. The board voted to approve the conditional-use permit; staff told the applicant approved documents would be mailed and reminded him to obtain building permits before construction.
The record includes both staff’s description of an initial constructed tower height of 195 feet and later findings language that references an initial height of 190 feet; that discrepancy appears in the transcript and is noted for the record.
