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Commissioners hear conditional-use request for 150-foot cell monopole on Batesville college property
Summary
A consultant presented a conditional-use application for a 150-foot monopole on college property in Batesville; the applicant cited zoning code compliance and safety documentation, a nearby resident questioned setback and health assertions, and a commissioner moved to waive a vegetation-buffer requirement (no recorded vote).
A planning-body meeting in Batesville heard a conditional-use application for a proposed 150-foot monopole to be sited on college property, a consultant told commissioners.
Tracy Gill, who identified herself as a planning commissioner from LaMelle and a consultant for tower companies, said Verizon contracted Towers LLC to lease the site from the college and construct a monopole intended to improve wireless capacity on the campus. "They designed the height and the power of the antennas...so that they'll hand off their radio traffic to the next tower," Gill said, arguing the new site would offload traffic from existing towers and improve service for campus users.
Gill said the parcel is zoned Residential 1 and that the application meets the city ordinance's conditional-use criteria, citing the ordinance language provided in the submitted materials. She described the planned compound as a 55-by-55-foot fenced area within a 60-by-60-foot lease, screened in part by a stand of tall pine trees. The proposal calls for an 8-foot black vinyl-coated chain-link fence (no barbed wire), a gravel interior, and underground utilities where possible.
On technical and safety points, Gill said the monopole is a hollow galvanized-steel structure designed to flex in high winds and include a deliberate fail point so it would not topple onto nearby buildings. She also said a structural engineer's letter confirming design standards is included with the application.
A nearby resident who spoke during public comment—identified in the transcript by an address at 345 23rd Street—questioned details in the applicant materials, including reported setback distances and potential health concerns. The speaker said a Google Earth measurement showed about 409 feet to 23rd Street, while the applicant letter listed approximately "475 to 500 feet"; the commenter also referenced a 1996 federal law limiting municipal denials based on health claims. The applicant's representative responded in the hearing that federal rules apply, noting the Federal Communications Commission's authority over certain radio-health matters.
Commission discussion focused on the vegetation-buffer exception, sightlines for campus security, and operational impacts. Gill said the site is expected to generate only occasional maintenance traffic and will be monitored remotely after construction; she also said permanent generators, if installed, would include muffling and periodic tests.
A commissioner moved to waive the vegetation-buffer requirement "for the safety purpose of security" and to approve the conditional-use permit with that waiver. The motion was made on the record, but the transcript does not record a formal roll-call vote or a stated final outcome.
Next steps were not specified in the transcript excerpt; the meeting record moves on to subsequent items after the motion was made. The application package in the record includes the structural-engineer letter and a certified-mail list showing 17 recipients within the applicant's 600-foot notice circle.
