Zoning board approves 109‑foot cell tower on Garden Road over neighbors' objections

The Des Moines Zoning Board of Adjustment on Thursday unanimously approved a conditional‑use request for a 109‑foot communications tower at 2503 Garden Road, saying staff had shown the proposal met the criteria for the site.

Bert Dross, deputy planning administrator, told the board the monopole would sit inside a 60‑by‑60‑foot lease area behind an existing building and that staff recommended approval subject to four conditions: a privacy fence and landscaping to screen ground‑level equipment, a prohibition on barbed wire, a light‑gray or compatible paint color approved by planners, and full compliance with site and building codes.

Alex Truman, representing Tower North and Verizon Wireless, said the tower is driven by rising demand for data capacity and would help coverage, capacity and e‑911 response in the area. "This project is really being completely driven by the demands of your own residents," Truman said.

Mason Groban of Jasper Winery, who said he operates event space nearby, told the board he did not receive direct notice and objected to locating a tall tower next to parks and venues. "A 110‑foot tower is a nonstarter," Groban said, adding concerns about neighborhood character and property values.

Legal counsel and staff told the board federal law limits local consideration of health or spacing between towers; the board's role is to apply local conditional‑use criteria and the city’s site standards. After discussion about screening and co‑location capacity, a board member moved to adopt staff’s recommendation; the motion carried 7–0.

The decision becomes a formal order; staff said the written decision will be available in about a week and reminded the applicant that approvals must be implemented within two years or expire.