Verizon caused an "estimated loss of between $70,000 and $100,000" for this man, but he has "moved on"

A 200-foot Verizon Wireless tower was completed in November on timber production zone land owned by Sierra Pacific Industries. Because the site is zoned TPZ (tree protection zones), Verizon was allowed to build it under Plumas County's 2019 telecommunications rules, which let certain towers get quick approval without public meetings or notices to nearby residents.

The tower sits just 15 feet from the nearest residential property, a 7.9-acre parcel owned by John Stewart. He and a group of neighbors, Maidu tribal members, and other opponents had tried to stop the project. Only a brief delay was achieved, and Plumas County officials ultimately acknowledged that they lacked legal authority to deny the build because the project met the ordinance's criteria.

The ordinance, passed on a divided vote in 2019, was created because the county had no clear rules at a time when several companies wanted to build new towers. It pushed tower projects toward nonresidential areas, including TPZ land, but it did not consider that some homes sit right next to those zones. It also did not require notice to Native tribes, even when cultural or burial sites were close by.

Stewart said he attempted to engage county officials during the construction period and asked for basic mitigation measures such as painting the tower to reduce visual impact. Contractors were reportedly open to the idea, but no action followed. Supervisors say they explored options with Verizon, but none were approved.

Property value goes down?

Stewart's primary concern is financial. He believes the tower has caused a loss of between $70,000 and $100,000 in property value. He had intended the land as a long-term inheritance for his family and now sees the loss as a direct blow to that plan:

The tower dominates nearly every view from his house, and he argues that its presence makes the property less desirable and significantly harder to sell for its previous value.

"Life goes on"

County officials only started rethinking the 2019 telecommunications ordinance after the tower was already built. The update could close the loophole that let a tower this large go up with no notice to nearby residents, especially on TPZ land next to homes. But for Stewart, any change now is too late to restore the property value he believes he has already lost. He says that life goes on, but "it's not quite the same".