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Council approves 150-foot monopole in Southern Grove for Fire Station 20 cell coverage
Summary
Council granted a special-exception use to allow a 150-foot monopole at the Southern Grove Fire Station 20 site after a quasi-judicial hearing; staff attached standard conditions to ensure compatibility and removal if underutilized.
The Port St. Lucie City Council on Jan. 13 approved a special-exception use allowing a 150-foot monopole cell tower at the Southern Grove site intended to serve Fire Station 20 and surrounding areas.
Planning staff presented the request as a quasi-judicial item: Francis Foreman of the Planning & Zoning Division said the proposal meets special-exception criteria in the Tradition Commerce Park North at Southern Grove PUD regulation book and the city's zoning code, and the Planning & Zoning Board recommended approval on Dec. 3, 2024. Foreman told the council the nearest existing towers are about 1.9 miles away and that the tower is proposed to reduce dead zones and dropped calls in the developing area.
The applicant's representatives said the tower will be a standard monopole (not a faux tree or other novelty design) with antenna panels concealed for a cleaner appearance. Todd Meyer with Redtail (applicant/agent) said the design will be a solid-white monopole with panels that hide the aerial antennas and that the team intentionally avoided a tall fake tree design.
Council approved Resolution 25-R01 granting the special exception and attaching standard conditions, including site-plan review, fencing, wind-load requirements and provisions for removal if the tower becomes obsolete or underutilized.
Why it matters: The approval adds cellular infrastructure intended to improve coverage in a growing portion of the city and includes conditions intended to protect site compatibility and require removal if the structure becomes obsolete.
Ending: Planning staff will move forward with site-plan implementation under the conditions set by council; the city will monitor compliance and require removal or corrective action if conditions are not met.
