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Zoning panel recommends City Council approve 220-foot cell tower near Serene Hills Elementary
Summary
The Zoning and Planning Commission voted 6–1 to recommend City Council approve a special-use permit for a 220-foot cellular tower proposed for 3303 Serene Hills Drive. The applicant, KGI Wireless, promised RF testing and revenue-sharing with the city; parents raised safety and aesthetic concerns.
The Zoning and Planning Commission recommended that City Council approve a special-use permit (SUP) allowing KGI Wireless to build a 220-foot cellular tower on city-owned property at 3303 Serene Hills Drive. Committee member moved the recommendation and the motion passed 6–1.
Jeremy, a KGI Wireless representative and local resident who presented the proposal, said the company chose city property to provide coverage and capacity for Old Lakeway and Rough Hollow and proposed leasing terms that would include base ground rent and revenue sharing with the city. He told the commission the compound footprint would be approximately 70 by 70 feet and that carrier antennas would be staggered (roughly 220, 205 and 190 feet) to accommodate multiple providers. “We can measure those, and we can make sure that they're absolutely below the safe threshold that's set by the FCC,” Jeremy said, offering to share RF measurements taken at the school boundary once carriers are installed.
Commissioners questioned technical documentation for coverage and capacity, noting that carrier propagation maps are typically proprietary. Jeremy said informal carrier conversations indicate the site would improve both coverage and capacity but that detailed propagation heat maps were not available for a zoning hearing. The commission heard from dozens of residents: some reported dropped calls and an inability to reach 911 during an emergency, while others – particularly Serene Hills parents – urged denial over perceived RF risks, property-value and aesthetic impacts.
ZAPCO members emphasized their limited legal scope, noting the ordinance criteria they must apply, and that FAA and FCC reviews would follow zoning and permitting. The commission framed its action as a recommendation; the City Council will make the final decision and any post-zoning federal reviews (FAA/FCC) and building permits will determine technical clearances and mitigation requirements.
