Proposed 150-Foot Cell Tower in North Bay: Community Concerns & What Residents Can Do
Port Ludlow’s North Bay area has long been cherished for its quiet rural character, scenic views, mature tree canopy, and deep historic roots. That peaceful identity is now at the center of a growing community conversation: Horizon Tower has applied to build a 150-foot monopole wireless communication facility (cell tower) on Parcel 821081015, just north of the Swansonville Road and Fleet Drive intersection.
At 150 feet—roughly the height of a 15-story building or half the height of Seattle’s Space Needle—the tower would rise well above the surrounding trees, becoming a prominent new feature on the skyline. The project includes a 50×50-foot fenced compound, access road, ground equipment, and nine initial antennas (with room for up to three additional carriers and 27 more antennas total). Verizon Wireless would be the first user, though the permit is designed for multi-carrier use.
While reliable cell service benefits everyone—residents, visitors, emergency responders, and local businesses—many neighbors feel this particular location is poorly chosen. Key concerns include:
Visual & Scenic Impact The structure would introduce large-scale industrial infrastructure into a residential and forested setting, permanently changing views from homes, roads, and trails.
Neighborhood Character Placing the facility adjacent to homes governed by Ludlow Maintenance Commission CC&Rs (dating to the 1968 master-planned community) risks shifting the area’s peaceful, low-density feel toward something more commercial.
Property Values Real estate professionals and studies indicate that large visible towers can reduce nearby home values by 2.9–20% due to buyer aversion and aesthetic factors—potentially thousands of dollars in lost equity for local families.
Historic & Cultural Proximity The site sits roughly 400 feet from Forest Hill Cemetery (Swansonville Cemetery), a documented pioneer burial ground with graves of early homesteaders (Bates, Swansons, and others). Well-preserved records exist, yet pioneer cemeteries frequently contain unmarked graves from the 1800s. The recent 2020 “quiet title” effort for the nearby Swansonville Church building (due to missing deed records) underscores potential gaps in historic surveying and record-keeping in the area.
Coverage & Site Selection Application documents suggest the tower is primarily intended to address dead zones in Mats Mats Bay/Quarry (~3–4 miles north), not the immediate North Bay/Fleet/Swansonville area. The chosen spot is not at the highest elevation, which raises questions about whether it delivers optimal local benefit or if better-placed alternatives could serve the same gap with less impact.
Better Alternatives Are Possible Jefferson County’s Unified Development Code (UDC Ch. 18.42) strongly encourages colocation on existing structures and requires applicants to show that a new tower is the least intrusive feasible option. Residents have pointed to cleared lumber lands, higher ground closer to Mats Mats, public works yards, utility corridors, or county-owned sites as potentially superior choices—options that could improve coverage for the intended area while minimizing effects on homes and historic resources.
How Residents Can Participate The proposal is still in the early review stages (Jefferson County case ZON2025-00011). Community input can influence whether the tower is approved, denied, conditioned, or relocated.
Submit written comments to Jefferson County Department of Community Development (dcd@co.jefferson.wa.us or 621 Sheridan St, Port Townsend, WA 98368). Reference concerns about location, scale, visual impact, historic proximity, and alternatives.
Attend the upcoming Town Hall on February 24, 2026 at 3:30 PM at the Port Ludlow Beach Club, where county staff will explain the process and answer questions.
Monitor the application on the Jefferson County Permitting Portal: https://selfservice-op.jeffcowa.us/energov_prod/selfservice#/search (search ZON2025-00011 or parcel 821081015).
Connect with neighbors through the PL Cell Tower Opposition Committee (plcelltoweropposition@gmail.com) for templates, updates, and coordinated efforts.
Engage local groups — Ask the Ludlow Maintenance Commission to take a formal position, or reach out to Friends of Swansonville for historic perspective.
Jefferson County’s own Comprehensive Plan and land-use policies prioritize protecting rural character, scenic views, open space, and quality of life. By participating thoughtfully and early, residents can help ensure any wireless improvements respect those values.
We’ll continue updating this page as the process moves forward. If you have questions, photos, or additional information, feel free to reach out via the contact form.
Stay informed. Speak up. Protect what makes Port Ludlow special.
