Structure to be sited on Churchill Street

By Angie Landsverk

A cell tower will be constructed on Churchill Street following Waupaca Common Council approval of a special use permit for it.

The council approved the permit by a vote of 7-1 when it met on July 16.

Dmitri Martin voted no. Paul Mayou and Eric Olson were absent.

The 125-foot tower will be built in the southwest corner of the property at 902 Churchill St.

The Rose Garden Family Restaurant is located on the parcel.

The tower will be located in a 70 foot by 70 foot ground lease area.

Where the tower will be constructed backs up to the Waupaca School District’s former bus garage.

Martin asked why that part of Waupaca was chosen for the site, describing it as an area the city is “trying to beautify.”

Peter Schau, of Ton 80 Realty Services in Chicago, requested the permit on behalf of PI Tower Development LLC and Verizon Wireless.

He said Churchill Street is a commercial corridor, and the use is compatible.

Schau also noted the property is L-shaped, with trees in the area where the tower will be built.

“It will be tucked into the back corner,” said Mayor Brian Smith.

There will be fencing around the tower.

The city is requiring the barb wire on the fence be no less than 7 feet above the ground.

Smith said the city did as much as is allowed to make it work.

The request for the special use permit went before the city’s Plan Commission first.

At that meeting, Andrew Dane explained that Wisconsin State Statutes spell out how these types of permits are to be issued.

Dane is the city’s interim director of community and economic development.

He said the applicant met the requirements identified in the state statutes.

In addition to Verizon Wireless, the tower will be designed to accommodate the equipment of at least three similar wireless telecommunication services.

Schau said the tower is being built here to meet user demand.

Construction is planned for either toward the end of this year or next spring, he said.