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Zoning board approves 125‑ft telecom monopole near Ball State over floodplain and setback objections
Summary
The board approved a 125‑ft monopole proposed by Atlas Towers to close a local wireless coverage gap for carriers including AT&T; DNR and city staff reviewed design adaptations for FEMA floodplain constraints and the board required a final landscaping plan consistent with DNR.
The Board of Zoning Appeals approved a request from Atlas Towers and the Muny Redevelopment Commission to place a 125‑foot telecommunications monopole on a small, flood‑constrained parcel near Ball State's utility campus.
Atlas Towers representative Parker Bingham said AT&T identified a coverage gap that would be addressed by installing antennas at the top of the monopole. He told the board the site was chosen because it was unsuitable for most other development and lies near existing electrical facilities, making it an efficient place to host shared communications infrastructure.
The project required setbacks relief from nearby dwellings and a waiver of some landscaping requirements because the compound overlaps FEMA‑mapped floodplain. Bingham said the design raises the tower's equipment pads above base flood elevation, minimizes ground obstruction and had been reviewed by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, which issued conditional approval of the proposed approach.
City redevelopment staff and the mayor submitted letters of support noting the parcel's limited development potential and the revenue stream offered by a long‑term lease. One resident raised concerns about flood impacts and potential changes to ground elevations; the applicant said DNR's review addressed those issues and that the final engineering would meet DNR and FEMA requirements.
The board approved the variances with a condition that the applicant continue working with DNR and submit a final landscaping plan that meets state floodway rules. The vote passed with one abstention.
