Nome Planning Commission approves conditional permit for cell phone tower

The Nome Planning Commission met last Tuesday for their regular meeting. The commission approved a conditional use permit for a cell phone tower, swore in new commissioner Rhonda West and discussed upcoming community meetings on Front Street rezoning.

Atlas Tower Holdings, a wireless infrastructure company that owns and operates cellphone towers, is looking to lease land adjacent to Nome-Beltz Middle and High School to put up a 105-foot 5G cell phone tower.

A public hearing was held during the meeting where three representatives for Atlas Towers spoke.

Originally, Atlas Towers applied for a 129-foot platform which has since been changed to 105 feet and moved to a location where it isn’t interfering with a power line. In the preliminary findings of an aeronautical study, the Federal Aviation Administration, determined the structure “exceeds obstruction standards and/or would have an adverse physical or electromagnetic interference effect upon navigable airspace or air navigation.” The company has since reapplied for FAA approval with the new tower measurements and will not begin the project until permitted by the FAA. A conditional use permit is also needed.

Commissioner Adam Lust was skeptical about awarding the permit, citing a letter from the FAA included in the meeting packet that found the tower to obstruct air navigation. The letter was from the previous application for the structure of greater height.

Assistant Manager of Nome Joint Utilities Ken Morton chimed in saying all of Nome’s wind turbines penetrate the airspace, but they aren’t a problem as they have markers on them. “It’s not really anything that we as a city have to worry about,” Morton said.

Lust countered that the turbines aren’t within the same proximity as the cell tower would be.

Commissioner Greg Smith asked the Atlas Towers representatives if they will comply with any changes requested from the FAA.

Jocelyn Gifford, manager at Atlas Towers, explained that without approval from the FAA they will not be able to construct, so any adjustments they request will be implemented into their build plan including decreasing