Planning commission recommends stealth cell facility at Rodeo Grounds despite coverage concerns

The Town of Jackson Planning and Zoning Commission voted July 15 to recommend approval of conditional use permit P26-114, which would remove an existing freestanding 80–90-foot monopole at the Teton County Fairgrounds and replace it with a stealth wireless facility integrated into the grandstand at 305 West Snow King Avenue. The recommendation will be forwarded to the Town Council for final approval.

Staff planner Andrew told the commission the existing lease with Diamond Tower dates to 2014 and runs through 01/01/2027. Because the lease predates the town's 2015 stealth regulations, staff and the applicant negotiated a proposal to relocate and conceal the antennas, with the applicant agreeing to comply with current stealth design and height requirements. "There was a big push to get rid of the cell tower that exists," Andrew said, describing the town's preference for a less visually prominent solution.

The Design Review Committee reviewed the concept July 8 and generally supported the approach but continued the item and requested refinements: additional material samples and color swatches, a lighter lattice-inspired equipment screen to reduce visual mass, verification of stakeholder coordination with the fair and rodeo boards, and confirmation of height compliance. Staff concluded the application meets the standards in Section 6 1 10 d of the LDRs and the site zoning (PSP) allows the use.

Katie Harms of Diamond Communications, the applicant, told commissioners the proposed structure will be grounded with foundations that go into the ground rather than attached to the existing roof. "The foundation will go into the actual ground. It will not be an attachment to the roof itself," Harms said. She also said the project team would apply for the post‑construction extension referenced in the record (described in the meeting as a "6409" extension) and offered to provide carrier coverage "heat maps" to show projected service at the proposed 55‑foot elevation compared with current carrier positions.

Harms warned the change in height will reduce coverage compared with the current pole. "So if you're going from 75 to 55, you're losing 20 feet of coverage," she said, and offered to produce visual maps that show the practical effect for carriers and emergency services. Commissioners and members of the public said they favored removing the visually prominent pole but remained concerned about the coverage trade-offs and asked staff to document those concerns for the council and DRC review.

Commissioner Morgan Barry moved to recommend approval of CUP P26‑114 as presented in the staff report dated 07/15/2026; the motion was seconded and carried by voice vote. The commission directed staff to record concerns about service coverage and to confirm coordination with police, emergency services, the fair board and other stakeholders before the council hearing.

The matter will return to the Design Review Committee for material and architectural refinements before the Town Council considers final approval. The applicant indicated construction would be scheduled to avoid rodeo season per lease stipulations.