Council approves 150-foot cell monopole on Christine Drive after staff concerns about proximity

Midwest City Council approved a special use permit for a 150‑foot telecommunications monopole on Christine Drive after hearing from the applicant and staff about coverage needs and proximity concerns.

Cole Talbot, who said he was the site acquisition agent for the applicant and represented branch communications on behalf of AT&T, told the council the monopole is engineered with a 60-by-60-foot lease area and a zero-fall-radius design so the tower would collapse within the leased footprint in a catastrophic failure. Talbot highlighted FirstNet capability and said the site would improve service for residents and first responders during extended outages: "A tower here is much needed," he said.

Staff acknowledged the planning commission recommended approval (4–1) but flagged concerns about reducing required setbacks, equipment noise and the proximity of generators and cooling equipment to neighboring homes. "Our main concerns were the proximity to homes and associated equipment and noise," a staff presenter said.

Council members asked whether alternative sites farther away would meet carrier RF needs; the applicant said RF engineering and network constraints make exact siting important and that viable alternatives within the search ring were limited.

After initial debate and a motion to deny, a subsequent motion to approve carried on roll call. The council discussed mitigation measures and requested conditions that reflect the planning commission’s recommendations and any standard facility design practices.

Next steps: The applicant will proceed under the conditions approved by the city; staff will follow up on final engineering and any administrative conditions required by the permit.