crowleycommunity

"Can you hear me now" is a trick question for cell phone users in the community of Crowley.

A cell phone controversy that touched on visual impacts, health risks and a desperate need for communication apparently came to an end with the Mono
Supervisors’ 3 to 2 vote to deny the appeal of Incline Partners, the firm that wanted to set up cell phone towers in a Crowley Lake neighborhood.

In a long, night meeting, most of the same controversial issues spilled over from the public to the Supervisors.  Citizens called the cell tower location “the wrong place”.  Incline Partners of Tahoe had leased land owned by snowboard star, Tommy Czeshin in Crowley.  The firm wanted to put up as many as two towers for two cell phone carriers on each tower.

Cell service meant good news for the Crowley area where there currently is no cell reception.  Residents near the planned location objected with grave concerns over bad visual impacts and fears of health risks from the antennas.  The health issue could not come into play at the local level.

The Mono Planning Commission voted 3 to 2 to deny the use permit for this project.  Incline Partners appealed that denial to the Mono Supervisors where they thought they might have a better chance.

Mono Community Development staff said that after hours of talk, the Supervisors voted in favor of denial of the appeal with Supervisor Chair Hap Hazard and Supervisor Viki Bauer voting against the denial.  Supervisors Byng Hunt, Larry Johnston and Tim Hansen voted for the denial of the project appeal.

The Supervisors had planned a special meeting for Thursday at the courthouse starting at 10:30am.  They apparently planned to formally vote on the written decision denying the use permit for Incline Partners.

County staff said that there is another possibility in the works called Vista Towers on DWP property in the Hilton Creek area.

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