Emily Featherston
The Vestavia Hills City Council voted at the Dec. 19 meeting to allow the installation of multiple poles to host small-cell nodes that power 5G cell phone networks, much to the chagrin of multiple residents.
New poles will be installed at the following locations: 1445 Linda Vista Lane, 2604 Kingswood Road, 2733 Southview Drive and 2857 Vestavia Forest Drive. After a homeowner near a proposed location at 1829 Forest Haven Lane said Alabama Power was removing their devices from their pole at that location, a representative from Crown Castle agreed to table that request as the company would prefer to use an existing pole. Alabama Power would move their power underground.
Several residents opposed the moves, arguing poles should not be placed in front yards. The Crown Castle representative said rear-yard power poles are main power structures and not suitable for the nodes, and those installing such devices are not legally allowed to place the nodes on the poles.
The city does receive permit fees from some small-cell applications. City Manager Jeff Downes said the city received about $7,000 in fiscal 2022.
In other business, the council:
- Accepted a roughly $5.3 million bid from Central Alabama Asphalt and Construction Company to execute the city’s three-year street repaving plan
- Rezoned 3419 Ronlea Circle from agriculture to medium density residential district to combine parcels to include two residential lots
- Accepted the dedication of streets in the Helen Ridge subdivision into the city
- Annexed the following addresses into the city: 2608 Rillwood Road, 2594 Acton Road, 2401 Rocky Ridge Road, 2565 Rocky Ridge Road and 1420 Branchwater Circle
- Re-appointed Joe Ellis, Dave Giddens and Chris Pugh to the design review board and appointed John Wood to the board
