Tower talk delayed

The proposed rules first came before the County Board of Commissioners in December, and the hearing was scheduled to continue on Tuesday, Jan. 19.

However, the hearing hit an unexpected snag — a letter arrived the same day from AT&T telecommunications company asking for an extension to make suggested changes to the regulatory framework.

Two AT&T representatives, Rich Roche and Ken Lyons, appeared before commissioners Tuesday evening. They apologized for the last minute comment and requested an extension to work with planning staff on a couple provisions that might clash with federal law.

“I’m actually embarrassed being in front of you tonight asking for more time,” Roche said. “I’ve made excuses for holidays, and everything else — the bottom line is we didn’t get the information fast enough.”

Will Carey, county legal counsel, said the cell tower advisory committee hadn’t spotted the potential conflicts with a federal communications act that AT&T found.

“We don’t do strictly AT&T business for a living so when we look at this ordinance that was structured by the best we could get in Hood River County we thought we did a remarkable job,” Carey said. “What we’re seeing tonight, however, is that there’s some feeling that some distances here are perhaps too stringent and there’s no real means for mediating that.”

Commissioners granted the company’s request for more time, and scheduled for the hearing to come back before the public on Feb. 16.

In the meantime, the County Planning Department and advisory committee will work with AT&T to draft a new version of the ordinance.

John Roberts, Planning Department director, said in a follow-up interview the changes were “nuances of federal provisions we just don’t know about,” which staff will work out with AT&T within the next week.

Roberts said the ordinance would not affect the only application currently filed for a new cell tower — near Windmaster Corner on Diamond Fruit property — because the rules would apply to structures proposed after the ordinance takes effect.

The most controversial cell tower application in recent years, which re-fueled the movement to draft an ordinance with regulations on height and placement, was American Tower Corporation’s proposed facility on Fairview Road. Planning Commission struck down those plans in November 2013 due to concerns of visibility and scenic views being obstructed.

The ordinance now in the works applies to unincorporated areas of the county, which also are outside the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, and sets allowed uses and conditions.

Carey said AT&T seems to be a willing partner in working out last minute changes to the ordinance, which will come before the county again in February.

“I think that the gentlemen … representing AT&T seem to be willing to work on this on an objective nature. It’s just too bad we didn’t get this thing done and we didn’t hear back from them until this afternoon.”