Murrysville council approves 125-foot Verizon tower at 4900 Lasher Court

Murrysville Borough Council voted unanimously April 2 to grant a conditional-use permit for CU-2-25, allowing the construction of a 125-foot monopole communications tower at 4900 Lasher Court on a 10.712-acre parcel (tax parcel 49-07-00-0-263). The applicant told council the site will fill a local Verizon coverage gap.

The applicant’s attorney, Joe Cortez, representing Towers LLC and Verizon Wireless, told council the application was received Jan. 23, 2025, and that the proposed monopole would be an unmanned site with a fenced 50-by-50-foot compound inside a 100-by-100 leased area. “The tower that we're proposing to develop is a 125 feet, and it basically is filling a hole in a gap in coverage that Verizon currently has in, Murrysville,” Cortez said, adding that the company had sought co-location opportunities first and found none within the ordinance-required search radius.

The project team presented engineering exhibits and permits: an engineering coverage map showing the stated gap, an FCC license, a radio-frequency safety letter, and FAA approval for the 125-foot structure. Curtis Paxton, the project engineer, estimated the nearest residence is about 850 feet from the property owner’s house, and Tim Stark, the site-selection representative, described the site as “tucked in this tree bank here” and noted setbacks of roughly 200 feet or more to property lines. “The 50 foot by 50 foot proposed fenced area is here. The proposed tower is in the middle,” Stark said while describing the compound layout.

Council members asked about potential interference with the large community park and whether the site would serve park users. Cortez said the site “may” provide service to park users but that Verizon is separately negotiating a possible site at the park and other parks in the borough. Council also asked whether the site would accommodate other carriers; Cortez said the tower company (Vertical Bridge) intends to make space available to other carriers but that the chosen height balances coverage needs and local ordinance limits.

A speaker from the public, Jeanette Pavlik of Colonial Drive, urged caution and asked whether the application was a “lead into 5G.” The council and staff noted federal authority and past caselaw limit local governments’ ability to regulate wireless facilities on the basis of RF emissions or mandated technology. Cortez and his team said the site would be built to current engineering standards and that RF emissions would be well below FCC thresholds.

After the presentation and questions, no citizens spoke in opposition during the hearing. Council moved to close the record and then voted to approve CU-2-25; the motion passed unanimously.

The permit allows construction of a 125-foot monopole with a 50-by-50 fenced compound and requires compliance with the zoning ordinance’s conditional-use criteria and the drawings and exhibits submitted as part of the application. The project team indicated the site will be unmanned and will use the leased compound area for base-station equipment.