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Verizon hopes to build cellular tower near Ghent

MARSHALL — Verizon cellular’s conditional use permit request to build a communications tower in Grandview Township just outside Ghent cleared a Lyon County hurdle Tuesday.

The planning and zoning commission approved the conditional use permit by Verizon cellular to erect the 250-foot self-supporting communications tower on a parcel of land owned by Orville and Marjorie Hennen, with the addition of a 9-foot lightning rod on the top. The plans also include a 259-foot setback from the main property line and a 350-foot, 2-inch setback of the tower from the road right of way. The reports said that other neighboring property lines will also be greater than 350 feet, 2 inches.

The permit goes before the board of commissioners on Tuesday.

Karyn O’Brien, president of TechScape, attended the meeting as the site acquisition representative for Verizon. She told the board that the tower will include the requisite blinking red-warning lights at night and the white strobe lights during the day. The project includes adequate access and parking for tower maintenance, as well as a map of the proposed location and a site survey.

Zoning Administrator John Biren sent a letter to surrounding neighbors on Aug. 29 to inform them of Verizon’s application for a CUP. The letter spelled out the exact location in Grandview Township.

Planning and Zoning Technician Luke Olson was at the zoning meeting Tuesday evening to add that contact had also been made with the city of Ghent.

Neither zoning official had heard back any negative comments regarding the erection of the Verizon communications tower in their neighborhood. In fact, they claim the general public seems to think it may provide better cellular service for the rural area.

Also during the hearing, O’Brien requested a 12-month extension to the 12-month lifespan of the permit. Planning and Zoning Commission members asked Lyon County Assistant Attorney Nicole Springstead to research the ordinance for that possibility prior to the CUP coming before the Lyon County Board next week.

In other action, the board also approved a conditional use permit for Ross Vandamme to add a garage to a farm site owned by Jim Vandamme. The recommendation was in spite of being 55 feet short of the ordinance setback. The required setback is 100 feet and the proposed site is 45 feet from the road right of way.

Because of snow removal concerns, the Island Lake Township Board originally expressed concerned over the setback. However, Mike Williams, representing the township board, said he visited the site and the board now supports the request.

Photos of the site allowed the Planning and Zoning Commission members to see that there were trees lining the property line at the proposed location already provides a natural snow barrier. The CUP also met the other requirements, such as no other location was available. The sewer tank was buried under the only other possible location near the house.

The Lyon County Planning and Zoning Commission members also reviewed amendments to the buffer zone ordinance. Springstead walked them through the changes including more detailed explanation of various items such as what constitutes a misdemeanor for non-compliance: “$1,000 fine or 90 days in jail or both,” which “may be,” not “shall be,” punishable by law.

Springstead also said county attorneys would be fighting to change wording for the statute of limitations. Lyon County attorneys want it to be called, “limitations for enforcement action” instead.

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