Cell tower near Glacier Hills draws ire

Driving through Hungry Horse is the first time it becomes obvious.

As you make your way along U.S. Highway 2 its blinking light is decidedly noticeable. As you turn the corners of Martin City you might lose sight of it for a brief moment as it's blocked by a tree or two.

Then when you turn into the Glacier Hills, perched on a hill above Martin City, it comes into full view.

Pulling into Sandy Welch's driveway it's hard to miss. Stand on her deck and you'll get a direct look — practically see it eye-to-eye.

It is a cell tower that climbs 250-feet in the air and sits directly in line with the mountains to the north. The light on top blinks 24 hours per day, seven days a week to warn aircraft of its location.

"A lot of people purchased land here because of the view and now there's a tower in the middle of it," said Welch from her home.

Landowners in the area say the tower went up in February and prior to that none of them knew about it. The tower is often referred to as a "thorn in Glacier" because the tower stands in line with the mountains of Glacier National Park.

According to the Federal Communication Commission registration, the tower is owned by CST Holdings LLC in Wheaton, Ill. In an e-mail, the company denies any wrong-doing.

"The placement of towers, like the one in Martin City, is consistent with the goal established by the FCC to provide access to affordable, reliable and advanced communication services for rural America. Additional communication services improve the health and safety, as well as the educational and economic opportunities, to those with access to it," said Bill Wade of CST Holdings in the e-mail. "While it is never our wish to upset the community where we assist in providing these services, we firmly believe that the citizens of Martin City will benefit from them."

The FCC registration lists the address of the tower as 860 South Fork Road. According to Flathead County tax records, Jason and Jeanette Mundel are the owners of that property. No response was received from a letter seeking comment mailed to the Mundels' listed address.

THE PROPERTY is not zoned, according to the Flathead County Planning and Zoning Department, and that leaves little restriction for what can be done there.

"It's unzoned and because it's unzoned Flathead County has no zoning regulations that govern cellular towers (on that property)," said BJ Grieve, assistant planning director.

Grieve said that his office has taken a look at the tower at the request of concerned citizens.

In other areas of the county that are zoned, cell towers are allowed with conditional use permits and reviews.

The area does fall under the Canyon Neighborhood Plan — a guiding document for land use issues in the area. That plan mentions protecting the views in the area. However, the plan is a non-regulatory document — meaning it has to be implemented, such as through zoning.

There is also a scenic corridor zoning overlay that extends one-quarter mile on either side of U.S. Highway 2. That doesn't apply either because, although the tower can be seen from the highway, it is not located in the zoning overlay.

"We're really sympathetic with the visual impacts of the cell tower in this area, but in the past the residents of Hungry Horse and Martin City have chosen not to be zoned, therefore that's the way it is," said Grieve.

WELCH PURCHASED land in Glacier Hills a few years ago and work is still being completed on the home.

She recognizes the need for cell service in the Canyon, but it's the location that has them upset.

"People move to the Canyon and you know services are limited," she said. "We're not off the grid, but we're not in the mainstream. It's difficult to deal with an issue like this because we thought we got out of them."

After the tower went up, neighbors began meeting about it. Welch started an e-mail list for updates that contains about a half dozen people.

That's when Welch started doing research. She claims that towers don't have to be this noticeable.

"What made me more upset is that there are towers that you drive by on a daily basis and never notice them," she said.

LEE GRAY owns three lots in Glacier Hills and questions not only the tower's location, but also its design.

"They have towers that look like pine trees, palm trees and Christmas trees, but not here in this pristine part of Montana," he said on a recent tour of his properties.

"People purchased these lots for the view corridor — that's the whole concept here. This is the last bit of unspoiled view," he said.

Gray claims that value on his three properties has been "completely destroyed."

"How would you like to come to your estate lot and stare at that thing?" he asked, pointing to the tower.

He is also quick to point out that he's not against cell phones or cell towers, but would have preferred a better location for the tower. Several owners claim that different locations for the tower could have even resulted in better cell service without compromising the views.

Several folks claim no public meeting was held on the tower. An online search of public notices on the Montana Newspaper Association Web site did not reveal any notice pertaining to the cell tower. The database includes public notice records published in newspapers across the state, including in Flathead County.

There are also claims that the company should have conducted an environmental assessment before construction. An online search of the Environmental Protection Agency database didn't show any results for an Environmental Impact Statement for the project.

CST Holdings claims to have followed all processes pertaining to construction.

"As is the case with all of our site locations, CST followed the detailed and arduous process established by Flathead County, the State of Montana and the FCC in constructing the tower in Martin City," wrote Bill Wade of CST Holdings.

ACCORDING TO Grieve, no public hearing was required for the tower's construction.

"The company (CST Holdings' did contact our office before and we told them this property is not governed with restrictions," said Grieve.

Work on updating the Canyon Plan began in the fall of 2007, but has been suspended because of a lack of staff in the Planning Department.

"Even if it (the plan) was finished and completed, it would have not stopped the tower," said Grieve. "Cell towers can only be regulated with zoning. The Canyon Plan provides non-regulatory guidance."

The issue has left many property owners in the area wondering what can be done now that the tower is there.

Welch said she's not sure anything can ever be done about the cell tower.

"A lot of people say just wait until we get satellite phones, one day it will be obsolete, but they're not going to tear it down," she said.