Rockwall council directs staff to abandon proposed cellular-tower lease at North Shore Park

The Rockwall City Council on Dec. 15 directed staff to stop pursuing a proposed land-lease agreement for a cellular communications tower on city-owned property at North Shore Park, the council’s presiding official said.

The direction came following an executive session conducted under Chapter 551 of the Texas Government Code. The presiding official told attendees that staff had not recommended moving forward with the project and that the council concurred, adding that the city will look for another site for the facility.

The decision was presented to the public during the council’s open meeting. “The city council gave staff direction tonight to not pursue that project so we will not be pursuing that,” the presiding official said, adding that the council had heard residents’ concerns and that staff likewise recommended against proceeding.

Council members did not place a formal ordinance or vote on the record to prohibit future proposals; the action recorded in the open meeting was direction to staff derived from the executive-session discussion. The transcript does not provide minutes of the private deliberations held in executive session, nor does it include a roll-call vote tied to this direction.

Next steps described by the presiding official are limited: staff will search for alternative locations for the tower proposal. No alternate site or timeline was specified during the meeting.

The council first announced the executive session agenda items, including the tower proposal and other property matters, at the start of the meeting. The exchange about the council’s direction was summarized for the public during the open meeting by the presiding official.