COEUR d’ALENE — Kootenai County commissioners voted 2-1 Thursday to approve a proposed cell tower off Potlatch Hill Road that received overwhelmingly negative feedback from the public.

Commissioners Bill Brooks and Chris Fillios voted to approve a conditional-use permit for landowner Thomas Ingle, AT&T and SmartLink to build a “wireless communications facility to provide the latest 5G and 4G LTE technology.”

Leslie Duncan gave the dissenting vote, in part because she wasn’t certain if the Potlatch site is the best one for the tower.

Steve Petroskie, who lives near the site of the proposed tower, said he was shocked that commissioners approved the project, given the nearly universal opposition. Between three public hearings, the county received 65 comments opposing the cell tower and just two comments in support.

“They’ve done a disservice to every person who voiced their opinion at the hearings,” he said. “I was really blown away.”

The tower will be located south of the intersection of East Potlatch Hill Road and East Sky Harbor Drive. It will consist of a 150-foot lattice tower and ground equipment on a 7.13-acre parcel of land in the agricultural suburban zone.

The tower would be within a 70-by-70-foot fenced area accessed from Potlatch Hill Road. The site is currently vacant land located within the city of Coeur d’Alene.

Hearing examiner Joan Woodard recommended that commissioners deny the proposal but offered conditions that should be implemented if the county decided to proceed.

Petroskie said many neighbors are unhappy with the board’s decision to change two of the proposed conditions proposed, which would have required AT&T to implement a forest management plan for the site and share costs for seasonal maintenance and development of Potlatch Hill Road.

“Not only do we have to stare at the stupid thing, our situation has not improved,” Petroskie said.

But the original conditions were likely unenforceable, said county planner Vlad Finkel.

AT&T does not own the property where the tower will stand; rather, the company is leasing part of the property. Requiring forest management from AT&T likely goes outside the terms of the lease.

Kootenai County attorney Pat Braden indicated that the county can’t force AT&T to share maintenance costs for Potlatch Hill Road because it’s a public road under the jurisdiction of Eastside Highway District.

The county will, however, require AT&T to repair any road damage caused by construction and initiate fire mitigation efforts through FireSmart or a similar program.

Though residents shared “compelling comments” about health and safety, Fillios said it’s unclear how many could be substantiated by evidence.

“None of the responding agencies had any serious issues,” he said.

Many residents also objected to the aesthetic impact of a cell tower. Fillios noted that the state of Idaho does not protect viewsheds. “View easements,” he said, are typically negotiated between neighbors.

AT&T’s representative, Josh Leonard, said at a public hearing last week that the tower will increase the coverage area by 20 miles, filling a “significant gap.”

“This is an area that is highly, highly dependent on adequate cell coverage, especially with regard to public safety and the ability to more accurately pinpoint 911 locations,” Fillios said.

Brooks said he’s unconvinced that the tower would increase the risk of lightning strikes or fires beyond what already exists. He also acknowledged concerns about the health effects of 5G, which some residents described in public comments.

“I’ve seen no evidence that cell towers make people sick,” he said.

To date, no adverse health effect has been causally linked to exposure to wireless technologies, according to the World Health Organization.

Petroskie said neighbors intend to formally request that the commissioners reconsider their decision.