A conditional use permit is being sought to install a 165 foot telecommunications tower at 546 Sweetwater Ave., (Brian Neben, Central Nebraska Today)
KEARNEY — The Kearney Planning Commission heard a request for a conditional use permit to allow for a telecommunications tower at a property on Sweetwater Avenue during their meeting on Friday, March 20.
Terri Dolezal, with The Grinnell Group, appeared on behalf of property owner Joshua and Rachel Weinberg, to request approval of a conditional use permit (CUP) to install a telecommunications tower located at 546 Sweetwater Ave.
The property is located outside of the city limits, but within the two-mile extraterritorial jurisdiction. The area is zoned for AG, agricultural district, which allows for these types of towers.
The plans show it to be a 165-foot monopole communication tower. The tower itself with 155 feet tall, with the remaining 10 feet being made up by the lightning rod.
The property lies north of Interstate 80 and was chosen because it is not in a flood plain and was not in the vicinity of the Kearney Regional Airport.
“The nearest residential use to the tower not located on the subject property is 410-feet away and is zoned AG. Additional neighboring properties contain residences to the west, south, and east however they are well over 500-feet away from the proposed tower location,” per a memo by the City of Kearney staff.
“The use types surrounding the tower are vacant agricultural land and rural residential to the north, east, and west; with Interstate 80 running along the south,” the staff memo stated.
It was noted that Verizon would be the first carrier on the tower, with space to accommodate two more.
“The tower developer has determined that this location best fits the need for carriers to cover Interstate 80 and the area north of the Interstate. This site works best for Verizon Wireless to fill coverage and capacity needs along Interstate 80, south of Highway 30, east of the City of Kearney proper and west to Gibbon,” stated the staff memo.
Melissa Dougherty-O’Hara, City Planner, presented the staff’s findings of fact and noted they recommend approval with the conditions that the tower is 165 feet, all screening and landscape must be maintained for the life of the tower and any changes in ownership of the tower must be submitted to the City of Kearney within 30 days.
There were no public comments in favor of or opposed to the CUP.
The Kearney Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend approval of the CUP to the Kearney city council.
