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Zoning commissioners approve cell tower to close coverage gap in north Arlington

The tower site is on an undeveloped tract of roughly 1.8 acres on Northwest Green Oaks Boulevard in Arlington.
Courtesy photo
/
City of Arlington
The tower site is on an undeveloped tract of roughly 1.8 acres on Northwest Green Oaks Boulevard in Arlington.

Arlington zoning commissioners unanimously approved an 80-foot telecommunications tower on approximately 1.8 acres of land in north Arlington.

The tower is needed to close a significant gap in coverage for the area, applicant Broadus Services said.

The property at 2007 Northwest Green Oaks Blvd., north of Northwest Green Oaks Boulevard and east of Wilma Lane, has never been developed. The property sits south of the city of Fort Worth’s Village Creek wastewater treatment plant’s service booster pump facility.

Arlington-based Broadus Services’ client, Verizon, wants to build a 75-foot unmanned communication tower plus a 5-foot lightning rod for a total of 80 feet in height. The company requested a zoning change to planned development for community commercial uses and said it had “exhausted other co-location possibilities and this site will close a significant gap in coverage.”

Broadus proposed a 30-foot-by-30-foot lease space screened by an 8-foot-tall masonry wall.

Broadus Vice President Alan Scivally told the commission that the company met recently with nearby residents, some of whom told Broadus that they had experienced cell service issues in the past in their neighborhood. One resident told the commission that he would have to go out in his yard to make calls and knew of a man who had to install a landline phone so his pacemaker could call 911 if help was needed.

The company said access to the equipment boxes will be provided by a 12-foot-wide double swing gate for truck access and a 6-foot-wide pedestrian gate. Both access points are located on the east, nonstreet-facing side of the structure.

The tower is expected to go before City Council members Jan. 28, according to city documents.

At the Arlington Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.

This article first appeared on Arlington Report and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.