GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KJCT) – Space X is one step closer to building a facility in Mesa County.
The Mesa County Planning Commissioners met on Thursday for their planning meeting. An item on the agenda was a Space X Telecommunications Facility conditional use permit.
The request was
“To locate a communications facility for ground-based antennas. The scope of work includes installation of a 16′ wide x 66′ long gravel access/parking area connecting to a new 155′-10″ x 95′-2″ fenced gravel compound with communications equipment (40 ground-based antennas total).”
Many De Beque residents showed up to speak out against the request.
“We are unsure about it potentially decreasing our home values in the area,” Whitney Faulstich said. “There is supposed to be noises associated with it, vibrations and just the curb appeal.”
Faulstich said she is worried about it just changing the atmosphere where she lives. She is also worried about the well-being of her community.
“And then our other concern is, is there any potential health concerns related to the radio frequencies coming off these antennas? There’s not a lot of research on either side, so we just want to know if there is long term effects from being so close to these antennas.”
Ken Lyons with Wireless Policy Group attended the meeting on behalf of SpaceX. He says the project meets all of the Mesa County Code Requirements.
“We meet all of the noise requirements,” Lyon said. He said that there have tests to make sure the sound would be within legal limits.
He also explained the reason they want to build in De Beque is because “it has a close proximity to fiber.”
The hearing in front of the planning commission was the first step to get the project approved. According to the Mesa County Planning Manager, the county doesn’t have an opinion.
“Our role is to merely address the application as it stands and go-ahead and apply the Land Development Code to that application and make sure that what they intend to do meets all of the Land Development Code that Mesa County has in place,” Sean Norris said.
The planning commission voted in approval, but with an amendment to recommend that it has to be relocated to the southern corner of De Beque. The original requested location was 1995 45 ½ Road in De Beque. The Mesa County Board of Commissioners will meet on February 25 at 9:00 a.m. to discuss the proposal.
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