La Crosse County Worries About Consequences After Rejecting Cell Tower Permit

La Crosse County Board members are worried they could face a lawsuit after rejecting a permit for a new cell tower.

Bug Tussel Wireless applied to build a 196-foot communications tower in the Town of Holland, an area recently impacted by the Badger-Coulee Transmission Line.

After rejecting the permit last week, some La Crosse County Board members are worried the Green Bay-based company will take the case to court, citing a 2013 state law that reduced local governments’ rights to reject tower permits.

Board member Matt Nikolay said he’s frustrated the law may force the county to approve a tower no one wants.

“It’s a problem when state government dictates to local governments what they can and cannot do. Everybody likes to talk about local control. This is the complete opposite of local control,” Nikolay said.

Nikolay said he did have concerns about how the tower would impact the community’s landscape and property values. But his main reason for rejecting the permit was safety.

“I just wasn’t comfortable with what the company submitted in that regard, and I just didn’t want to take that chance when that’s a well-traveled road, it’s a school bus route. To me it just wasn’t the right decision,” Nikolay said.