Hearing Officer Meeting is the Next Critical Step Towards Approval

Dear Las Campanas Owners,

 

We are at a critical point in the Santa Fe County approval process of the proposed Cell Tower, and your support is urgently needed to encourage Santa Fe County to approve the application.

 

As you probably know, earlier this year the Las Campanas Master Association and Verizon completed a contract for Verizon to build a 70′ “stealth” cell tower for Verizon and a second wireless carrier (to be determined).  The tower will be located adjacent to the Las Campanas Administration Building at 366 Las Campanas Drive, and will be a faux bell tower design, with the architecture and color to match the existing building.

 

In order to build the tower, Las Campanas and Verizon submitted an application to the County to approve a change to the Las Campanas Conceptual Plan to allow a cell tower, and to allow a height of 70′, which is the minimum height necessary to provide adequate wireless coverage.  The Conceptual Plan currently limits the height of any structure within Las Campanas to 27′.

 

The County staff has reviewed the application, and while staff recommends approving the tower, staff recommends AGAINST approving the 70′ height; they only recommend a 27′ tower.  This is problematic, because a 27′ tower would not provide adequate wireless coverage to the Las Campanas area, and no carrier would build a 27′ cell tower here anyway.

 

The next step in the process is a Hearing Officer meeting on Thursday, November 12.  To supersede the County staff recommendation, Las Campanas needs to demonstrate support for the proposed cell tower.  Your support is urgently needed for the following two initiatives.

 

First, please send an email of support for the Las Campanas 70 ft cell tower to:

 

County Case Manager Gabriel Bustos gcbustos@santafecountynm.gov

 

Be sure to reference SUPPORT for the Las Campanas 70′ cell tower and SUPPORT for Case # 20-5070 Las Campanas Master Association Conceptual Plan.

 

Alternatively, attached is a sample letter than you can complete and email.  To copy and complete, click Cell Tower Support Letter

 

Second, this Thursday, at 3:00PM on November 12, the County Hearing Officer is holding a virtual hearing via Webex.  If you are available, please participate in this virtual meeting and voice your support for the 70′ cell tower.

 

You can join online via Webex using this link below.

 

https://www.santafecountynm.gov/event_detail/1605164400/hearing-officer-meeting-8

 

Or you can join by phone:

 

1-408-418-9388

Access Code 146 620 3706

 

We cannot overemphasize the importance of your participation and support. Thank you for your assistance for this important project.

 

Comments or questions can be directed to Cellular Committee Chair Robert Kiely rkiely@lascampanasowners.com or Las Campanas General Manager Chip Munday at cmunday@lascampanasowners.com

 

Thank you,

 

Chip Munday, General Manager

Las Campanas Owners Association