GRANITE FALLS — Another communications tower may be going up in Yellow Medicine County.

YMC Zoning Coordinator Jolene Johnson will be bringing a Conditional Use Permit for NTP Wireless Verizon Wireless of Chicago, Illinois before the county board this week.

NTP Wirelless/Verizon Wireless is asking to construct a 250 ft. communications tower with a 9-foot lightning rod with a total structure height of 259 feet, Johnson’s report said.

Johnson presented an aerial photo of the site at the YMC Planning Commission meeting Tuesday.

The site is located in the northeast corner of Section 14 of Sandnes Township. The YMC Land Use and Related Resource Management Ordinance Section VI, Subdivision 2.0 requires a Condition Use Permit for communication towers.

There are two conditions that the company must meet in order to proceed. They include 1. The base of the tower shall be fenced to restrict access, and 2. The site shall be maintained to control vegetative growth.

“The condition about the vegetative growth is so that the weeds are controlled,” Johnson said.  “We were going to specify ‘noxious’ weeds, but we wanted all weeds controlled.”  

NTP Wireless representative David Hendrixon informed the commission that the structure is a self-support tower which will be located 125 feet from the right-of-way of County Road 18.

“There will be no guy wires,” Johnson said Friday.

The area where the tower will be located is 100 feet by 100 feet with a 50 by 50 foot area to be fenced around the base of the tower. Because of the height of the tower, it will have lights to meet FAA regulations.

Hendrixon said he had looked for other structures in the area to use, but could not find anything with the appropriate height needed.

Discussion ensued on maintenance of the area, lease agreement with (neighbors) Wayne and Bonnie Oftedahl, other tower locations and a generator that will be located onsite.

The planning commissioners voted unanimously to approve sending the request to the YMC Board with the two named conditions.

“Having this tower will enhance the cell phone service in the Hanley Falls area,” Johnson said.