Board approves 180‑ft telecom tower at East Lincoln High School to improve coverage and capacity

The Lincoln County Board approved a special‑use permit for a 180‑foot monopole wireless communications site to be located on the East Lincoln High School campus.

Applicant Michael Sanfer of Vogue Towers said the facility is a multi‑provider, collocation‑ready monopole intended to fill both coverage and capacity gaps in the area. Verizon was listed as the immediate co‑applicant in the submittal packet. Sanfer told the board the site is designed for secure, unmanned operation and that Vogue Towers offers space at no charge to local first responders and emergency management when technically feasible.

Why the county approved it: Sanfer presented propagation modeling showing limited in‑building coverage in the vicinity and argued the new site would improve user experience and emergency‑call reliability. He also presented engineered fall‑zone designs and photo simulations. Staff found the application met special‑use criteria and planning staff recommended approval.

Board action: Commissioner Carpenter moved approval of the applicant’s findings of fact and then moved approval of SUP 530; the motions passed on a voice vote. The motion record in the transcript reflects votes by voice but does not list roll‑call tallies.

What to expect next: The site will proceed through detailed permitting and construction reviews, including required landscaping, fall‑zone engineering and any carrier‑specific equipment permits. Vogue Towers indicated they will coordinate to preserve existing wooded buffers and implement a 10‑ft landscaped buffer on one side of the compound.