(submitted photo/SaskTel)

By Nigel Maxwell

Technology issues

R.M. residents question proposed cell tower

Aug 16, 2019 | 4:59 PM

A proposed cell tower in the Rural Municipality (R.M.) of Prince Albert is not receiving great reception from the landowners who may be living near it.

Raymond Boyd was among two landowners who showed up Thursday’s council meeting to voice his concerns. Boyd said the proposed 300-foot tower would be located 200 paces from the corner of his house.

“When you look at where my house is and where that tower is, there’s hardly a place on my land, sitting up on either my front deck or back deck that I won’t be looking at that thing,” he said.

Boyd stressed he was also concerned about the impact on the property value, adding he spoke to a real estate agent who suggested to him there possibly could be. Boyd also told council he was not happy with the way SaskTel handled the public consultation process. He said of four landowners in the area of the proposed tower, only two knew about the plans including himself and the landowner who had the purchase offer.

“My suspicion is they would rather get the ball on my 20 yard line before I am even invited into the stadium to play the game,” he said.

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The proposed cell tower would look very similar to this one. (submitted photo/SaskTel)

The R.M.’s Planning Officer Jason Kaptein said nothing had been approved yet, and the ultimate decision on whether the tower would go up would be in council members’ hands.

“I like to think there is kind of a win-win alternative site but it’s not North; it has to be South within about a mile of this area,” he said.

Kaptein explained the reason why some land owners may have not received notice is because SaskTel does not have access to the R.M.’s mail out and therefore has to rely on what is on the land title.

A public hearing and vote on the proposal is expected to come up at council’s next meeting September 12. Michelle Englot, Communications Manager for SaskTel, reaffirmed for paNOW the tower is very much still in the planning stages, and nothing has been finalized.

“Essentially until we get through all of the approvals on this tower, it is not confirmed that it will proceed,” she said.

Englot said she was aware of the concerns related to the proposed tower, and explained SaskTel would be responding to them. When asked how SaskTel determined the location for the proposed tower, she said the location would allow SaskTel to enhance their coverage, in areas that may have very poor coverage.

“We have chosen this site as the potential site. Again it is potential so nothing has been approved. If this tower location is not approved, we will attempt to find an alternative one that meets all the required criteria,” she said.

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nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell