Despite vocal opposition from nearby Wyoming residents, the Laramie County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday approved a site plan for a new 150-foot cellular tower on Powderhouse Mountain, aimed at improving wireless coverage in the region, according to the Cap City News.
Proposed by Rocky Mountain Towers on behalf of landowners Mike and Lorinda Zumo, the multi-carrier facility will be located at 2409 Iron Mountain Road in Cheyenne, within an A-1 Agricultural and Rural Residential zone. The tower will serve as a hub for up to four wireless carriers, with Verizon (NYSE: VZ) as the primary tenant.
Shelly Neace, owner of Rocky Mountain Towers, presented the plan, citing gaps in service and the inability of current Verizon towers to meet demand. She emphasized that a taller, shared tower would minimize the need for multiple structures and enhance indoor connectivity, public safety, and emergency response.
The site will feature a monopole tower and ground equipment within an 80-by-80-foot fenced area. Neace addressed concerns about aesthetics, safety, and health, noting that the tower includes “breakpoint technology” to limit fall radius, and emits no noise, odor, or microwave radiation due to its fiber connectivity. She added that emissions would be well below federally regulated exposure limits.
However, nearby resident Joseph Perry challenged the project, citing studies linking proximity to cell towers with property devaluation and health risks, including cancer and neurological effects, the Cap City News reported.
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