Lengthy cell tower proposal postponed
CHLOE COCHRAN | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 8 months AGO
SANDPOINT — A cell tower proposal that has faced multiple appeals and a court-ordered remand has been postponed, despite being scheduled for an Oct. 22 hearing before Bonner County commissioners.
The conditional use permit requesting the construction of a telecommunication tower has been delayed in its process once more after county commissioners removed the file from the Oct. 22 land use hearing agenda hours before it was set to be heard.
The proposed 140-foot tower would be constructed on a 20-acre parcel on Cindy Lane in Sandpoint.
The CUP application was initially filed December 2023, with the Bonner County Hearing Examiner approving the file three months later.
After the hearing examiner’s decision was appealed, the file was reviewed by the 2024 Board of County Commissioners, which voted 2-1 to approve the permit. Commissioners Luke Omodt and Steven Bradshaw voted in favor, while Asia Williams was opposed.
Following the second approval of the file, the permit was again appealed. However, commissioners at the time of the appeal denied a review of the file.
The appellants then sought judicial review, and the court vacated the Board of County Commissioners’ decision, effectively nullifying the previously approved permit and remanding the case back to the county for further consideration.
At the time of publishing, a new hearing time has not been set for the file.
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