Residents urge limits on communications towers and data centers; Assembly declines to seek alternative tower sites

Residents packed the public‑comment portion of the Petersburg Borough Assembly meeting on April 13 to press officials to reconsider proposed communications towers and potential data‑center development, citing health, aesthetics and infrastructure concerns. Tom Kowalske told the Assembly that 300 people signed a statement expressing concern and recommended hiring an expert to measure radio frequencies in town; several others urged updating local ordinances and locating towers away from residences.

Speakers named GCI’s proposal to install four communications towers in Petersburg and raised similar concerns about the power requirements of data centers. Joshua Adams said the Planning Commission is drafting a communications‑tower overlay for state and federal lands to help find less intrusive tower locations, and multiple residents urged ordinance changes to protect property values and community character.

Assembly Member Jeff Meucci moved to direct the Borough Manager to work with Tidal Network to identify alternative tower locations adjacent to the Fire Station; the motion failed by a vote of 0–6. The Assembly separately and unanimously approved a letter supporting Tidal Network’s request for an extension of its Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program award.

The public debate tied together three strands: local residents’ health and aesthetics concerns, the Planning Commission’s overlay work to manage tower siting on state and federal lands, and broadband connectivity needs represented by Tidal Network. With the Assembly declining to direct the manager to pursue alternative sites, the Planning Commission process and any ordinance changes remain the primary paths for future regulation.