Parts of Rio Arriba County could see improved cellular coverage if Alltel activates one tower and gets permission to move ahead with another.
A 35-foot tower with brown “bark” and branches to make it look like a pine tree now sits in a fenced area about two miles south of Tierra Amarilla, east of Highway 84. The tower was approved unanimously by the County Commission Oct. 25, 2007, after no one from the public opposed the tower. The tower should improve coverage along Highway 84 and near Heron and El Vado Lakes once it is finished. Alltel spokesman Scott Morris said the tower will be operational as soon as it is connected to a land-line.
“It is built,” he said. “We’re hoping to have it (running) by the end of the year.”
The tower had to go through public hearings as required by a 2007 County ordinance that regulates towers. The ordinance was adopted after a T-Mobile tower in Chimayó was erected in 2006 near historic sections of the village without going through a public hearing process. A group of citizens appealed the Commission’s decision to state District Court, but it was denied because it was not filed in a timely manner.
County Planning and Zoning Administrator Gabe Boyle said the Tierra Amarilla tower also led to some calls from area residents, but they were all calling to ask when it would be up and running.
Alltel’s plans to erect a cell tower in Lindrith is still in its early stages, but it would be is too tall under the County’s ordinance. The ordinance restricts the height of towers to 70 feet. Therefore, Alltel plans to seek a variance as well as a use change from the County to erect one nearly 160-feet tall. According to County ordinance, regulations can be “relaxed” when a variance would not harm public health or safety and the applicant can prove a literal enforcement of the ordinance “would result in unnecessary and undue hardship.”
Morris said the proposed tower would sit on the east side of State Road 537 about 15 miles north of the intersection of State Roads 550 and 537. He said Alltel delayed building the tower while the County was working on its ordinance.
“It kind of got hung up in all that,” he said.
Alltel is seeking public comment about the tower’s potential effect on historic properties. Comments can be directed to Tanya Cheryrkina at (440) 264-1261 or public_comments@dotright.com. Morris said Alltel hasn’t received any comments so far.
Boyle said Alltel has not submitted an application for the Lindrith tower with the County yet, but it will be the subject of public hearings before the County Planning and Zoning Committee and County Commission before construction can begin.