MOUNTAIN VIEW COUNTY - The county’s municipal planning commission (MPC) has approved a development permit for a 105-metre communication tower to be erected immediately north of Carstairs.
The approval came by way of motion at the commission’s Jan. 19 regularly scheduled meeting, held in person and on Zoom.
The $500,000 project will see the tower constructed on a parcel located north of Highway 581 on the west side of Rge. Rd. 13, at NE 16-30-1-5.
The applicant is Rogers Communications Inc. c/o Evolve Surface Strategies Inc.
“The proposed communications tower is a 105 metre guyed tower with external antennas,” Peggy Grochmal, county development and permitting officer, told the commission. “The tower will be located in the easterly side of the parcel.
“The tower area will occupy a 9.88-acre portion of land that will include an equipment cabinet and a 1.8 metre high chain link security fence as well as the three guy wires.”
Access to the site will be from Rge. Rd. 13, which is a county-maintained road and all activities will be contained within the 9.88 acres leased area, members heard.
A road use agreement is required for the construction of the tower to ensure municipal infrastructure is repaired in a timely manner should damage occur from hauling materials and equipment in during construction of the tower, members heard.
The new tower will replace the tower located in the SE 9-30-1-5 approximately two kilometres south of the subject parcel, within the Town of Carstairs municipal boundaries.
“There are other towers in the area, including one that was approved by the commission on Sept. 16, 2021 that has yet to be constructed. The (current applicants) have indicated that co-location opportunities for these towers do not offer the height required to allow for the continued service provided by the Rogers Communications current facility within SE 9-30-1-5, including the 83-metre high Xplornet Communication/TELUS communications tower that is located approximately one kilometre south of the proposed (new) location," she said.
The approval comes with a number of conditions, including that the new tower be engineered to accommodate future co-location with additional carriers and to minimize any potential negative effects on adjacent residences.
The MPC is made up of county councillors and appointed members of the public.
