During a recent city council meeting, officials discussed a proposed amendment to the lease agreement with Crown Castle for a cell phone tower located at the Royal View water tank facility. The existing tower, which has been operational for over 20 years, is currently a 24-foot wooden structure used primarily by T-Mobile. Crown Castle, which manages the tower, is seeking to replace it with a taller, 50-foot steel tower to accommodate new technology and additional antennas.

The proposed amendment includes a request for an additional 137 square feet of space to support the new structure. In exchange, Crown Castle has offered to increase the monthly lease payment by $207, totaling nearly $2,500 annually, along with a one-time payment of $5,000 to the city. The current lease generates approximately $1,400 per month, with rent escalating by 15% every five years.

One significant aspect of the agreement is the provision for co-location, allowing other carriers, such as AT&T, to share the tower. This could potentially reduce the need for additional towers in the area and generate further revenue for the city, as it would receive 15% of the rent from any co-located carriers.

The council also highlighted the importance of reserving space on the new tower for the city's emergency dispatch equipment, which is crucial for improving communication in areas with weak radio signals.

However, the proposal has raised concerns among local residents. A resident expressed fears that the new tower's height and visibility could negatively impact property values and quality of life, particularly for families with young children living nearby. They also raised health concerns regarding electromagnetic fields emitted by the tower.

In response to these concerns, representatives from Crown Castle provided information about the tower's emissions, stating that the new technology would operate well within Federal Communications Commission (FCC) guidelines. The current maximum output of the existing tower is 160 watts, while the new tower could reach up to 320 watts. However, even with the addition of AT&T, the total emissions would remain below 30% of the FCC's allowable limit.

The council is expected to deliberate further on the lease amendment, weighing the potential benefits of improved telecommunications infrastructure against the concerns raised by residents.