GREEN RIVER – The Green River City Council tabled the motion to approve an 80-foot cell tower to be constructed on Uinta Drive to allow time for the public to express their opinions.
Union Telephone Company requested approval of a Special Use Permit for the construction of an 80-foot lattice type cellular tower to be located at 380 Uinta Drive during the Council meeting.
Union Wireless employee Tyler Tholl said Union was approached by a co-locator, or a third party, to deploy a first responder network. To accomplish that, Tholl said they need a new structure.
The location on Uinta Drive is ideal because of the elevation of the lot and its ability to serve the residents near Mansface. He said if they located the structure further south up Uinta Drive, the structure would have to be much taller to accomplish the same goal.
Tommy Thoman, Engineer for Union Wireless, said it is the “optimal location” to cover the Hutton Heights area and up Uinta Drive.
Tholl added that another wireless carrier could use the tower as well, and that any companies looking to expand throughout the city would prefer to have an existing structure, rather than having to build one.
The wireless telecommunication facility proposes an 80-foot lattice style tower structure that will allow for collocation of up to three carriers, an 11×20-foot building to house electronics, an 8×12-foot building to house a backup generator (height of both will be 10 feet), and the facility will have a 6-foot wood fence around the edge of it.
Resident Amanda Shepherd spoke against the cell tower during the public hearing section of the meeting. She said she is a lifetime resident of Green River and that a tower like this will have negative impacts on the beautification of the town.
Shepherd also expressed concerns about the frequencies from the tower and how they could possibly have negative health effects on her family and fellow residents. She questioned whether the downsides of the tower were worth the benefits.
“Is it really worth it?” Shepherd asked the Council.
Mayor Pete Rust suggested they delay the decision on this cell tower to allow for the community to express their support or opposition.
The Council voted 6-1 to table the motion, with Councilman Jim Zimmerman being the opposing vote.
The Council will discuss the tower during their workshop on Tuesday, July 13, which starts at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall. Additionally, Green River Director of Finance Chris Meats suggested they hold another public hearing at the next council meeting, which will be Tuesday, July 20, at 7 p.m. at City Hall. He said this would allow people from the community to come and address the Council again.
