LAKEPORT — The Lake County Planning Commission Thursday moved forward with construction plans for a proposed new cellphone tower along Highway 175 in Middletown.
Verizon Wireless proposed to erect a 120-foot-tall monopole, nine 6-foot-tall panel-type antennae, a microwave dish and two GPS antennae to provide better cellphone coverage on Highway 29 toward Hidden Valley Lake and Lower Lake, and on Highway 175 toward Cobb.
The tower and equipment would be located at 20095 Highway 175 on the outskirts of Middletown in a rural area zoned for Timber Preserve Zone and Rural Lands. The site is on a small knoll with a small access road used by Calpine and the County Sanitation District, according to a staff report prepared by Rick Coel, director for the Community Development Department, and Associate Planner Keith Gronendyke.
Gronendyke stated in the report that the project was consistent with the County General Plan, the Middletown Area Plan and the County Zoning Ordinance. He also stated that any potential impacts to air quality, aesthetics, the environment and cultural resources had been mitigated to insignificant levels with the use of permit conditions.
Gronendyke recommended the commissioners adopt a mitigated negative declaration for the project because it will not have a significant effect on the environment. He also recommended the commission grant the major use permit for the project because it meets the requirements of the Zoning Ordinance.
The commission voted 4-0 to adopt the negative declaration and to grant the major use permit for the project.
In other matters, the commission moved forward with proposed seasonal farm labor housing facilities for Scully Packing on Scotts Valley Road in Lakeport.
The proposed labor housing units are four duplex buildings with three bedrooms and a bathroom, according to owner Pat Scully. Scully said three farm laborers would be housed in each bedroom, for a total of 72 resident laborers.
Scully said the facilities would be in use during the four- to six-week harvest season. He said labor housing typically is like “a barn with a restroom on the side,” adding that as many as 30 laborers might sleep in the same room. These units would differ, being climate-controlled and allowing for separated bedrooms, according to Scully.
“We saw this as an opportunity to provide better (facilities for the laborers),” Scully said.
Coel said a septic system would need to be dug for the facilities. Coel said he was contacted by the Scotts Valley Pomo to insure any digging would be monitored by a Tribal monitor for any artifacts. He said the monitors would be notified 24 hours before any digging would take place.
County Agricultural Commissioner Steven Hajik said he supported the project, adding the county has a need for farm labor housing, especially quality facilities.
Coel recommended the commissioners grant the major use permit because it conforms to the General Plan, Zoning Ordinance and Lakeport Area Plan.
The commission granted the major use permit by a 4-0 vote.
The commission also adopted six denials without prejudice for various projects that were applied for but had not been followed up on by the applicants. District 4 Commissioner Cliff Swetnam was absent from the meeting.
Kevin N. Hume can be reached at kevin.n.hume@gmail.com or call directly 263-5636 ext. 14. Follow on Twitter: @KevinNHume.
