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Foothills County asks for options with proposed Priddis cell tower

Co-location asked to be studied for future applications
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Foothills County is opposed to a cell tower to be built in the heart of the hamlet of Priddis. (Brent Calver/Western Wheel)

Foothills County is not supportive of a proposed cell tower which would have been in the centre of a scenic hamlet.

However, county council sent a clear signal to Telus that through consultation with Priddis area residents there is room for other options.  

“Many comments (from residents) expressed that the picturesque Priddis community appearance will be changed entirely,” said Foothills County Reeve Suzanne Oel who represents the area, at a council meeting on Jan. 6. “There is opposition to changing the aesthetics of the charming country atmosphere of this hamlet to an ugly eye-sore industrial field.” 

Council voted unanimously to reject the proposed 33-metre Telus tower to be located in the heart of the Priddis hamlet.  

Permeating through council’s discussion was a municipal land-use policy that cell towers be in an area designated for agricultural use and not residential.  

“This experience confirms why the County’s policy is to place towers on agricultural and industrial land away from homes,” Oel said. “The negatives do outweigh the positives – especially because other technology is available.” 

Oel said fibre optics is an option rather than a cell tower.  

“Fibre is in place right at the doorstep of this community on Priddis Valley Road and Highway 22, south of the highway,” Oel said.  

She said the Telus cell tower application indicated that a connection with fibre is possible in the future.  

“Why not do fibre into the community right now?” she said, adding there are grants available to do so. 

While they said no, councillors agree service is needed in Priddis and the northwest end of the county. They recognized some residents in the area were in favour of the tower.

Coun. Alan Alger said the location for the proposed Priddis tower did not make sense.  

“I can’t think of a less appropriate spot for a tower than right in the heart of the town of Priddis,” Alger said. “It’s a beautiful eclectic area and this would take away from this so much it is unbelievable... You don’t want to sit on the deck of the restaurant or ice cream parlour, having a beer and looking at that big tower. 

“This is too close to a dense area.” 

Both Alger and Deputy Reeve Rob Siewert raised the possibility of Telus sharing with another existing tower close to Priddis.

“From what I read, there are seven towers within five miles of this location,” Alger said. “This co-location thing never seems to work - there’s always an excuse why we can’t co-locate.”  

Coun. Jason Parker agreed, adding he would like to see in future applications from communication operators explaining why co-location for towers isn’t feasible. 

The County is obligated to provide a location to Telus for the tower, said Coun. Delilah Miller.  

“We are required to provide another option, if not here then where,” said Miller, adding in that day’s agenda package there was a request for support from another communication company for a federal grant.

“What are we saying – on one hand, no, we don’t want these towers but on the other hand, yes, we want improved service,” Miller said.

“I think it is important to give Telus another option.” 

Miller recently gave Telus representatives other options for a tower in her division.  

Council did direct in its motion that alternative options be explored other than cell towers, as well as there be communication with Priddis residents. An explanation as to why co-location is not an option should also be explored. 

During the Jan. 6 meeting, council directed administration to issue a letter to Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada as the approving authority for communication towers, and to Foothills MP John Barlow, outlining concerns with respect to the under-used practice of co-location of communication towers.

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