Sentinel staff report–
The Citrus Heights Planning Commission will hold a virtual public hearing on Wednesday regarding the proposed installation of a 60-foot “Monopine” cell tower on Tupelo Drive and a redesign and extension of an existing cell tower on Van Maren Lane.
Monopine towers are described as “stealth facilities,” featuring artificial tree-like branches to conceal antennas and help cellular towers blend in with natural surroundings.
The applicants for both projects are listed as agents for AT&T. The proposal on Tupelo Drive calls for removal of an existing decommissioned 40-foot communications pole, with the replacement of a new 60-foot-tall Monopine. The proposed site is located in the Antelope Plaza Shopping Center, behind a Hydroponics store near Stones Gambling Hall.
The other Monopine is proposed at 6720 Van Maren Ln., between Java Cherry Coffee Shop and the 7-Eleven store at the corner of Auburn Boulevard. There, an existing pole would be extended by 10 feet to a total height of 51 feet, with artificial branches added to the pole.
A staff report says the intersection of Auburn Boulevard and Van Maren Lane “has been identified as deficient in service coverage.” The report also said a variety of alternatives have been considered, but all would require installation of an additional pole.
“It is staff’s belief that increasing the height of one pole and disguising it as a tree has less visual impacts than multiple communications poles installed within a service area,” the report says.
Documents included in the Planning Commission’s Feb. 10 agenda packet say property owners within 500 feet of the project sites were mailed a meeting notice about the hearing, along with publication of a notice in the Citrus Heights Messenger. No comments from the public were submitted, according to the staff report.
Those wishing to comment can submit an email of up to 250 words to planning@citrusheights.net. The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. on Feb. 10, with a live webcast viewable at citrusheights.net/305/Planning-Commission.
See full agenda packet, with visuals and further description: click here.
