Post Falls Postpones Choice On Cellular Tower County Planners Oppose At&T Plans To Build Antenna

The city’s Planning and Zoning Commission postponed a decision Tuesday night on whether to permit another cellular tower to be built here.

AT&T Corp. has applied for a permit to build the communications facility and 120-foot antenna tower at 808 W. Mullan Ave., off of Interstate 90.

The commission asked whether AT&T could share existing facilities owned by another cellular phone company.

After AT&T project manager Marianne Boring said the Mullan site is the only location that would work, the commission delayed its decision to give AT&T time to gather information on why it needs the tower.

The commission will continue the hearing at its next meeting, July 11, then make a decision.

The city sent letters notifying seven residents who live near the site about Tuesday night’s public hearing. No residents spoke at the meeting regarding the tower.

The only opponent at the meeting was Jason Wheaton, a planner for Greenstone Corp., the company developing the nearby Montrose development. Wheaton said the tower would litter the scenic views.

“A community really should preserve its ridgeline,” Wheaton said. “It’s a gift.”

Wheaton said he will contact residents before the next meeting to invite them to speak about the proposal.

Rand Wichman, senior planner at Kootenai County’s Planning Department, wrote a letter to the city opposing the tower. Wichman said it only took his staff about 10 minutes to decide to oppose the project.

“What price do you put on the aesthetics of a community?” he asked.

Wichman said county commissioners decided to ban all new billboards in 1998 for the same reason - because they’re ugly.

But AT&T’s presence in Post Falls will allow residents to choose among different providers, the planning staff’s letter to commissioners said.

“It would appear to be in the city’s interest to have additional competition … and provide for the infrastructure needs of this emerging industry,” the letter said.

After looking at other sites, AT&T decided the Mullan site was the only viable option, Boring said.

US West New Vector had requested permission to build a tower at the same site, but the company’s application was withdrawn in 1998 after a public hearing. Area property owners voiced concerns about the tower’s presence. The company was also going to investigate sharing a tower with another company.

US West now operates from the tower next to the city’s wastewater treatment center, said Gary Young, planning director.

Boring said sharing US West’s site was not possible.

Companies don’t want to share a tower, Young said, because differing locations - even if close together - might mean different qualities of reception.

Plus, the corporations would much rather “be the landlord than the renter,” Wichman said.