Planning commission recommends special‑use permit for communication tower at Walmart site despite staff opposition

The Laredo Planning and Zoning Commission on a motion recommended approval of a special‑use permit to allow a communication tower at 2320 Balboa Street, a commercial property occupied by Walmart, despite a staff recommendation against the permit.

The application was presented by Bill Francis, an attorney for SBA Communications and SBA Towers 10 LLC. Francis said the site would address coverage and capacity gaps identified by Verizon and argued the city's tower‑setback standard, adopted in the 1990s, prevents carriers from deploying needed infrastructure. "We're respectfully requesting your approval of this special use permit application for the 150 foot monopole tower," Francis said during his presentation, later describing the proposed compund and mounting heights as a 50‑by‑50 compound and a 50‑foot tower with a 45‑foot mount height for carrier equipment.

Commission staff's recommendation was denial, citing a provision of…