After weeks of debate and hundreds of public comments, council withdraws city‑led SUP for proposed Serene Hills cell tower

City staff and KGI Wireless gave conflicting but overlapping technical briefings on the need for improved cellular coverage in central Lakeway and Old Lakeway. City Manager Molis said staff consulted subject‑matter experts, crowd‑sourced propagation software, and departments to conclude that "there is likely a need for improved cell signals on that side of the city" and that the city‑owned location under review remained among the most viable public‑property options.

KGI representative Jeremy Campan responded with his company's propagation maps, updated photo simulations and a commitment to reduce the tower height in his proposal. Campan said the site would host multiple carriers and deliver wireless broadband benefits: "This represents broadband internet for hundreds of residences in Old Lakeway, and coverage and capacity improvement," he told council.

Public comment was extensive and largely opposed. Speakers cited worries about property values, proximity to Serene Hills Elementary, aesthetics, the absence of signed carrier leases, and concerns over whether the city's review used independently verified data. Representative public comments included technical challenges raised by industry veterans and residents urging the council to consult carriers directly before approving municipal land use.

In deliberations, councilmembers cited competing priorities: some emphasized safety and first‑responder communications, while others stressed the city's need to preserve buildable land and secure clearer carrier commitments. To avoid the procedural and evidentiary burden that can accompany a denial under federal telecommunications law, the council voted to withdraw the city’s own SUP application rather than deny it. The motion to withdraw passed 6–1. Council directed staff and legal counsel to take steps to withdraw the application formally and to prepare any necessary written basis tied to the record if future council action is required.

"We believe this tower represents critical infrastructure that will benefit all of Lakeway," said Jeremy Campan during his presentation, while City Manager Molis summarized the staff finding: "there is likely a need for improved cell signals on that side of the city." After the vote, no construction permits or leases were in effect and KGI said no work would begin without signed carrier leases.