October 16, 2023 |
PHOTO – Union Telephone 5G Cell Tower – Courtesy Reddit
Hanna officials have voted to allow the construction of a new 5G cell tower inside town limits.
During the August 8th Hanna town council meeting, representatives from Union Wireless approached the council about building a new cell tower. Project Engineer Thomas Labuda said the existing tower on the roof of the Hanna Recreation Center needs to be upgraded. Labuda said the rec center cannot physically support the weight of the enhanced tower.
Labuda said a new cell tower site must be located. Councilman Jason Nordquist asked Labuda why Union couldn’t place its equipment on an existing Verizon tower. Labuda said the location isn’t ideal for providing coverage to the entire town.
Labuda said Union Wireless would like to build a new 120-foot lattice-style tower somewhere in Hanna. The project engineer said a lattice tower will be the least visually offensive and provide enough strength to allow other companies to place equipment on the tower.
Labuda offered three potential sites for the new tower. One is on the hill behind Hanna Elementary School. The second site is behind town hall. Labuda said the third, and most ideal, location is an existing tower site near the railroad overpass.
Labuda said the old cell tower on the rec center roof will be dismantled after the new tower is constructed.
The council needed to decide if and where the new tower would be built. The matter was tabled during the September 12th meeting following the lengthy public discussion on Ordinance 401, the town’s revised nuisance code.
During the well-attended October 10th Hanna town council meeting, Mayor Jon Ostling asked for discussion on the cell tower placement. Town Clerk Vivian Gonzales told the audience that the town has narrowed the potential cell tower site to two locations. Responding to a question from an attendee, Gonzales said both sites will provide the type of coverage Union Wireless wants.
Councilman Nordquist said the only difference between the two locations is personal taste. If the site by the railroad over pass is selected, the councilman said Union Wireless will replace the existing tower. Responding to a question from an attendee, Councilman Nordquist said the town will not experience any disruption in cellular coverage.
Another audience member asked why Union Wireless couldn’t use the existing Verizon cell tower. Mayor Ostling said the council was told that the Verizon tower wouldn’t provide adequate cellular coverage.
An attendee said he’s been using Union Wireless for nearly 30 years and never experienced a coverage dead zone, even in the mountains. He asked why another tower was needed. Councilman Roger Hawks said the new tower will provide better service. Mayor Ostling said the existing infrastructure doesn’t support modern cellular signals.
The council members said Union Wireless will pay the entire cost to construct the new tower and remove old equipment.
Town Attorney Patrick Brady said because the 120-foot tower will exceed the town’s maximum allowable height limit, the council must also grant Union Wireless a variance. Attorney Brady also said the town is mandated, under federal law, to allow the construction of the tower.
Councilman Hawks motioned to allow Union Wireless to build a lattice tower by the railroad overpass and to grant the height variance. Councilman Nordquist seconded, and the motion passed unanimously.
Clerk Gonzales said Union Wireless will begin construction as soon as possible.
