RIO LINDA, CA — As the morning mist clears over the open pastures of 16th Street, a new debate is beginning to loom as large as the infrastructure at its center. In a community where residents are fighting to maintain decades-old community safeguards, a new proposal for a 55-foot wireless communication tower is testing the balance between modern necessity and rural character.
On Wednesday, April 22, 2026, at 7:00 p.m., the Rio Linda/Elverta Community Planning Advisory Council (CPAC) will gather to review Project PLNP2025-00173, an AT&T wireless facility proposed for a 5-acre residential parcel. While the promise of better cell service is often welcomed, the specifics of this project—including a request to nearly eliminate standard safety setbacks—are expected to draw heavy scrutiny from neighbors.
The Proposal: A 55-Foot Addition to 16th Street
The project, spearheaded by Epic Wireless Group, LLC, seeks to establish a Wireless Communication Facility (WCF) at 8040 16th Street. Currently zoned as Agricultural Residential (AR-5), the site sits in a quiet stretch of Elverta characterized by single-family homes and vacant land.
Project Specifications:
- Structure: A new 55-foot tower.
- Footprint: A 2,050-square-foot enclosure housing nine panel antennas and nine remote radio units.
- Access: A proposed 20-foot-wide private gravel road and a 6-foot gravel drive leading from 16th Street.
- Future Changes: The existing residential structure on the property is slated for eventual removal under a separate application.
Agenda and board packet can be found here.
The Controversy: Testing the Limits of Safety Setbacks
The “sticking point” for this specific application lies in a request for a Special Development Permit to deviate from Sacramento County development standards regarding the Public Right of Way.
Under Section 3.6.7.A of the county code, new towers in this group must be separated from public right-of-ways by at least 31 feet. The proposed AT&T tower misses this mark by 30 feet—meaning it would stand nearly on top of the property boundary.
For many residents, these “setback” rules are not mere bureaucracy; they are safeguards intended to protect the visual landscape and public safety should a structural failure occur. This request may be viewed as part of a broader trend where developers seek to “strip decades-old community safeguards” from local developments.
A Pattern of “Dishonest” Approvals?
This new proposal arrives amidst deep community skepticism fueled by previous AT&T projects in the area. In September 2023, the CPAC considered an 80-foot tower project presented as a “camouflaged” tree-pole. However, by August 2024, residents discovered that Sacramento County planning had removed the “monopine” camouflaging requirement without considering the CPAC’s original conditional vote, leading to outcries of “foul play” and “dishonest” approval processes.
Further concerns regarding the integrity of the process stem from Project PLNP2023-00155, presented on January 24, 2024. During that meeting, the CPAC initially voted 4 to 2 against the project. Despite this clear disapproval, the Planner proceeded to conduct additional votes, leading to confusion among members and a final recorded vote of 6-0 in favor. This sequence has raised serious questions about whether the CPAC’s initial decisions are being respected or if promises made during “Design Reviews” are later stripped away by County staff.
Planning in an Uncertain Climate
This proposal arrives as the community faces potential budget cuts to public safety units, making the integrity of local planning boards even more critical. The decision will require the Planning Commission to weigh the technical needs of a major carrier against the Sacramento County Countywide Design Guidelines—and a community that feels burned by past administrative changes.
How to Make Your Voice Heard
The Rio Linda/Elverta CPAC will make a recommendation to the Sacramento County Planning Commission, which serves as the final hearing body.
Meeting Details:
- When: TONIGHT Wednesday, April 22, 2026, at 7:00 p.m..
- Where: In-person or via Teleconference.
- Teleconference Dial-in: (669) 254-5252 (Webinar ID: 161 281 0560).
Residents can also submit written testimony via email to [email protected] or contact the Lead Planner, Christopher Alberts, at (916) 874-4136.
As Rio Linda navigates its identity—from its agricultural roots to 21st-century urban pressures—the decision at 8040 16th Street will serve as a bellwether for how the community values its character against the march of industrial progress.
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