BELLA VISTA -- A new cell tower could be erected in front of the water tower at the corner of Glasgow Road and Alloway Lane.
Northwest Wireless Facilities of Springdale is looking to build a 195-foot tower in the compound to improve coverage for Verizon customers. The cell tower would be adjacent to Fire Station No. 3 at 201 Glasgow Road.
The Planning Commission approved a permit Monday for the project contingent on several provisions.
Plans indicate several trees outside of the tower's lease area will be preserved.
However, the provisions require Northwest Wireless to install an alternating double row of evergreens or other screening material at a minimum height of 8 feet. The trees would be on both street frontages of the development.
The commission's decision isn't binding and serves only as a recommendation to the City Council. The council will consider the permit at its meeting at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 26 at Highlands Crossing.
Craig Hull, a representative of Northwest Wireless, attended Monday's meeting and said lighting was a primary concern of nearby residents.
"When this idea was first brought up back in 2000 and we were dealing with the Property Owners Association, we went through an exhaustive public hearing," Hull said. "So we're just trying to abide by the guidelines set a decade ago and keep it low key to best serve the needs of customers."
The tower is shorter than the Federal Aviation Administration's height requirement of 199 feet for strobe lighting and will have none. Planning and Building staff also found the tower will have "minimal effect" on neighboring properties, according to its report.
"We only got a few calls to the office about this project," said Jennifer Bonner, Bella Vista planner. "And when people found out what (the tower) was and what it was going to be used for, they gave thumbs up and told us to keep going."
NW News on 01/13/2015