Planning Commission greenlights projects

West Memphis seeing new growth, adding much needed cell phone tower

news@theeveningtimes.com The West Memphis Planning Commission recommended three new projects for city council to consider. Two new projects near AFCO road went forward along with a new cell phone tower on the lot belonging to Cornerstone Baptist Church.

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Planning Director Paul Luker PLANNING COMMISSION (cont.)

Conditional approval was granted for the communication tower at the church last year. The city planning board said the tower at the church needed approval to use the adjacent easement from the drainage district.

That plan did not work out, so the church returned with the a site plan for the whole tower compound on their lot.

City planning and Development Director Paul Luker provided an overview to the commissioners.

They have relocated out of the drainage district between two buildings on the property,' said Luker.

'There was another notice published and we did not hear anything from surrounding property owners.

This area of town has needed more service.'

The city had also previously approved for another tower nearby at Tilden Rodgers Park to fill the coverage gap often complained about on the west side of town.

The one on the park will be set a little further away from the Interstate and less visible,' said Luker. 'We would like the one at the church disguised in some way. It will not be that far from the service road. It's a substantial structure standing

Commissioner Ladd Geary inquired about having just one tower with service available to multiple carriers.

Steven Hutchinson with Vertical Bridge replied for the tower applicant.

'The tower in the park won't fill our coverage gap,' said Hutchinson.

Hutchinson said there were already tall vertical power lines running along the interstate. Disguising this tower as a flag pole wasn't practical given demand for new technologies.

'We have two of the three carriers on this,' said Hutchinson. 'The flag pole disguise won't work because there are too many technologies now. You can't get all those technologies into one antenna. It won't meet the needs with one antenna it would only give us PCS to make phone calls. Other technologies like 4G, 5G, AWS and LTE you wouldn't get.'

With that the commissioners referred their approval to city council.

Commissioners also sent recommendations to city council with an new addition at Razorback concrete.

A construction styled mobile office was approved for the northeast corner of tits lot. The building will house a concrete testing laboratory and back up near AFCO Road.

The Storage Depot on Highway 77 North of AFCO Road and the train tracks applied for a threeacre expansion. The company wanted to build covered RV storage and received a unanimous endorsement from the commissioners.