INSIDE

Further delay for cell tower

County land use staff requested a second continuance to allow them for more time looking at alternative sites for a cellular telephone transmission tower.

When the application by Verizon Wireless to build a cellular communications tower on parks property was first before county hearing examiner Michael Bobbink on December 12, he asked staff to consider alternative locations for the facility following a comment from Point Roberts resident Steve Wolff that adjacent properties were more appropriate and had been overlooked.

In a staff report update submitted December 20, county planners Suzanne Bosman and Martin Blackman suggest that the proposed site west of the transfer station “could provide the best overall suitability for the siting of the cell tower and it would allow the initially proposed site to be retained as park open space.” They wrote the applicant was told to look at the feasibility of the alternative location and ask additional time for applicants, staff, and property owners to determine whether the new site is suitable.
The property was previously permitted for a television tower, which was never constructed. An initial continuance until January 16 was extended for an additional two weeks, according to Carole Magner with the hearing examiner’s office. If a new site is proposed a new hearing date will be set and the application will be resubmitted for public comment.