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MONTROSE COUNTY

Planning Commission doesn’t recommend Redvale tower

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More than 20 people attended a meeting at the Nucla Community Center on Dec. 19, the second public meeting on a proposed cell tower in Redvale. The first meeting was Nov. 21, to give opportunity for public comment. Both meetings were satellite meetings, so that those in the West Montrose County could attend the larger meetings in Montrose remotely and without having to travel. 

The idea of a cell tower in Redvale has caused a bit of a stir. Tina Reed, who lives next to the 88-acre property on unincorporated land where the tower would be erected, has been openly against it. She’s been vocal on social media and in local communities, speaking about health risks and negative effects to property values. 

Atlas Tower, the company aiming to establish the tower, must go through a two-step process, though, to be able to work with the landowner who’s willing to host the tower. That landowner would be a part of a land lease and receive $400 to $800 monthly, according to Michael Powers, Atlas Tower representative, who attended the meeting.

The first step in an approval process is the Planning Commission reviewing information and then making a recommendation to the Montrose County Board of County Commissioners. Ultimately, though, the commissioners make the final decision.

After the Nov. 21 meeting, the Planning Commission did their work, reviewing various studies and the comments.

On Dec. 19, Planning Director Tallmadge Richmond said public comment on the cell tower totaled 60 pages and a recess might be needed during the meeting. 

Overall, community members said they collectively don’t want or need another cell tower. 

Gwen Lane, of Redvale, said the cell service is fine and that people already work with the what’s available. She’s worried the cell tower could be used somehow with the national monument issue that locals also don’t want.

Galit Korngold, of Nucla, said she’d done due diligence on public safety, and EMS operates with their own communication and frequency. Apparently local EMS don’t need the tower, and it wouldn’t make their work more efficient. She said to put the tower somewhere else where no service at all existed. 

Rebecca Rogers, of Norwood, is a Scenic Byways group member, and she’s got big concerns about the destruction of views.

“It’s an awful idea,” Rogers said. “It’s profit for you guys only. We’re not benefiting from it.” 

Darla Joseph, of Nucla, said her company NNTC has roaming agreements with Verizon already, and all Verizon needs to do now is to allow their customers to “roam” on her company’s network. She wants to know why a tower is needed, because the coverage exists now. 

Community members brought up other things, like conflicts with Montrose County’s master plan and zoning ordinances. 

In the end, the Planning Commission decided they didn’t recommend the tower.

“The Planning Commission Board recommended denial,” Planning Tech Evelyn Luna confirmed after the meeting. “The meeting has been published on our website. There were members of the public who did make comments during the meeting as well. It is now scheduled to go to the BOCC on Jan. 8, 2025.”

Reed told the Forum last Friday she was happy.
“I am pleased that the (Planning Commission) voted not to recommend the permit being approved to the BOCC. We will have to wait until their meeting in January to find out for sure,” she said. “I want to thank our friends, neighbors and family for their efforts to get ready for (the) meeting.”