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Planning commission removes council condition on utility reviews and approves AT&T small cell in Fairhope right of way
Summary
The Fairhope Planning & Zoning Commission voted to remove an unnecessary city council-approval condition on several utility reviews, tabled three related items for more study, and unanimously approved an AT&T 43-foot small cell in ALDOT right of way near South Greenough Road.
The Fairhope Planning & Zoning Commission on July 6 amended prior utility-review conditions, voted to table three colocations for further study, and approved a proposed AT&T small-cell installation at 1880 South Greenough Road.
Staff told commissioners that five utility-review items brought back from the previous meeting involved colocations and that the city council-approval requirement appended to some items was unnecessary because the work would be within existing rights-of-way and, for at least one location, under ALDOT jurisdiction. Chair (S1) moved to remove the city council approval requirement for UR2606 (and related items a and b); the motion was seconded and passed unanimously.
For three other utility-review items (UR2605, UR2607 and UR2608), staff said applicants lacked required information and requested tabling until the September planning commission meeting. Commissioners made and seconded separate motions to table each item to allow applicants to provide the missing materials; each motion passed unanimously.
On UR2613, staff recommended approval of an AT&T small cell to be sited at 1880 South Greenough Road. The project — a 43-foot structure located inside ALDOT right of way — is not subject to the city’s small-cell ordinance and will proceed through ALDOT permitting, staff said. Michelle Fogel (S11), the AT&T representative, told the commission the installation is “small cell infrastructure” intended to address either capacity or coverage gaps and that radio-frequency engineers had identified the school and nearby athletic fields as primary areas that would benefit from improved service. “It will be primarily focused on the school in the area,” Fogel said.
Commissioners asked staff and the AT&T representative about electrical conflicts and coordination with Fairhope utilities; staff recorded a coordination condition requiring the applicant to work with Fairhope utilities to avoid infrastructure conflicts. The motion to approve UR2613 with staff-recommended conditions passed unanimously.
The commission’s actions alter the permitting pathway for several colocations and clear the way for the AT&T installation while leaving three items open for further applicant review.
