JARRETT GOODMAN
Staff Writer
Discussion surrounding both a new cell tower and commercial facility within Kimball ensued during the Dec. 4 city meeting.
The Kimball Board of Mayor & Aldermen began talks surrounding the potential addition of a new cell tower within the community. City Mayor Rex Pesnell explained upon attending last month’s planning commission meeting, Chris Day of Gen 7 Engineering came forward and proposed the plan to have a new cell tower be installed within Kimball. Pesnell stated that the city is interested in having a new tower be installed for the community, as he noted on the town’s relative issue with cell services.
“I know we have issues with our cell service in Kimball, and they’re wanting it to go by the water tank,” said Pesnell.
The water tank in question is located within the Timber Ridge subdivision off Timber Ridge Drive, near it being a patch of empty land owned by the city. The land near the water tower is being eyed as the site for the new tower. However, because of subdivision regulations not permitting cell towers within the neighborhood, further work on the project cannot be conducted until the city reaches an agreement with the residents via a signed waiver.
“The subdivision regulations for Timber Ridge don’t allow tower structures unless you get a waiver from two-thirds of the property owners within the subdivision,” explained Gouger. “The town had to do that when they put the water tower in there.”
It was agreed upon that Gouger would look further into the situation, particularity on managing arrangements with residents of the subdivision into allowing the cell tower be built near the water tower in Timber Ridge.
During the sharing of updates regarding the town’s planning commission, Vice Mayor Jerry Don Case made the announcement of a new 7,240 square foot commercial facility planned to be built on property owned by Legacy Commercial Property. According to both Case and Pesnell, the project has already been approved several months prior, with additional changes being made over time regarding parking as well as added permission from the state to place a drive-thru. The facility is set to be split into three separate units, each one open for new commercial businesses to host locations within the community.
“They’re going to build the building and find the people to go into the building,” said Pesnell.
Both projects since the meeting remain in the works.