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Crown Castle outlines multi-site plan and timeline to close large coverage gaps on Kiawah Island
Summary
Crown Castle told the council it expects zoning review in October, regulatory/environmental reviews over the following six months, building-permit applications early next year and tower construction beginning in October 2027 for the Ocean Course lead site; balloon tests will be used to show proposed heights to the community.
Crown Castle representatives updated the Kiawah Island Town Council on a multi-site program intended to reduce large LTE coverage gaps on the island and improve public-safety communications. Council member Spencer introduced the presentation, saying the effort is intended "to address and improve our telecommunications cellular infrastructure for public safety, quality of life, [and] broadband connectivity in our homes."
Kyle Stewart, Crown Castle public policy manager, said the company will focus first on an Ocean Course lead site and follow with three additional Crown Castle-hosted sites. He described an estimated regulatory timeline: zoning review in October, six months of regulatory and environmental reviews, post-zoning engineering in December, building-permit applications in February, and a goal to begin tower construction in October 2027. Stewart added that balloon tests will be deployed at each site for a 10-hour period so the community can see the proposed tower heights. "We're gonna have a balloon test at each one of the sites ... and they will be there for 10 hours," he said.
Zaki Mohammed, Crown Castle RF engineer, presented coverage maps showing a substantial increase in the number of homes served at greater height, explaining that raising the rad center could roughly double the number of homes with strong outdoor signal from about 140 to about 220 in the modeled area. Council members stressed public-safety benefits: "There are a lot of gaps on the island where [Beach Patrol and EMS] don't have sufficient coverage," one council member said, and speakers noted fixed-wireless services over cellular could provide an additional home-broadband option.
Council members asked about environmental constraints and coordination with town biologists; Crown Castle replied it maintains a migratory-birds team and will coordinate with the town's biologist to avoid nesting-season impacts (March–October). The company also committed to advance community notification when balloon testing and other visible work occur. Crown Castle and carrier partners said carriers will fund later site upgrades after Ocean Course is completed.
The council did not take action; the presentation was informational and staff said the planning commission would review minor zoning boundary adjustments at an upcoming meeting.
