COEUR d’ALENE — Kootenai County commissioners are expected to vote this month on a proposed cell tower off Potlatch Hill Road in Coeur d’Alene that has received significant public pushback.

A hearing on the proposal is scheduled for Sept. 29 at the Kootenai County administration building.

Ingle, AT&T and SmartLink are seeking a conditional-use permit to build a “wireless communication facility to provide the latest 5G and 4G LTE technology.”

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

Between two public hearings before a Kootenai County examiner, the county received 51 comments opposing the cell tower and just two comments in support. One person submitted a comment that was neutral toward the proposal.

Among the critics is Coeur d’Alene resident Steve Petroskie, who lives near the site of the proposed tower.

“There are a lot of people who are angry,” he told The Press. “If this thing is approved and built, there are going to be more. It’s going to create a chain of effects.”

Public comments so far have largely involved concerns about the visual impact of the tower, negative effects on traffic and wildlife and potential fire risks.

Potlatch Hill Road is a single-lane, dirt road with limited room coming and going.

“You can’t park all the construction trucks without blocking people in and out,” Petroskie said.

AT&T’s representative, Kimberly Allen, said during a Sept. 8 hearing that the site will not generate regular vehicle traffic after construction is complete. A technician may visit the site monthly for maintenance and inspections.

Others worry about the potential for lightning strikes.

“We’re building a 155-foot-tall structure that’s taller than the tree line and putting a giant lightning rod on top,” Petroskie said.

Kootenai County Fire and Rescue reportedly approved the proposal with no conditions. Fire codes do not regulate lightning rods for cell towers or any other structures.

A grounding system will be installed at the base of the tower, at the foundation of the walk-in cabinet and generator and all fence posts. A ground system will also be installed around the fenced area.

Petroskie said he hopes the overwhelmingly negative feedback sends a strong message to commissioners about what the public wants.

“People in Kootenai County need to decide where it’s OK to put these cell towers,” he said.

• • •

Bill Buley contributed to this report.