Photo by Kamp Fender.
A recently installed small cell node sits atop a power pole on Woodhill Road. Cell towers cover large areas, while small-cell technology, which attaches to utility poles, covers a small area, helping eliminate dead zones.
The Vestavia Hills City Council on March 27 voted to authorize new small-cell support towers at multiple locations.
The locations for the towers are: 2285 Sterling Ridge Circle, 1601 Gentilly Drive, 2500 Chatwood Road and 181 Castlehill Drive.
Vestavia Hills Mayor Ashley Curry said the city does not have the right, by federal law, to stop small cell towers from being placed in the public right of way.
Dustin Shaw, who owns 1601 Gentilly Drive, asked how necessary the towers were, considering there would now be four within a quarter mile radius. Objecting to the tower’s placement at the corner of his property, he said he felt Crown Castle, who is installing the towers, did not consider his property.
“This is an atrocity and I do not feel any consideration was given to the beautification of my property,” Shaw said.
Shaw told the council they would be making similar arguments if a tower was being placed in their front yard.
Acquanetta Love with Crown Castle said the towers are placed as they are to create a network, and must be placed closely together in order to communicate. She told a resident on Castlehill Drive concerned about the health impacts that the towers emit less radio waves than the maximum allowed under federal regulations.
The tower on Sterling Ridge Circle has been moved from a landscaped area near the front of the subdivision to an unlandscaped area further away from the entrance.
Crown Castle and Shaw agreed at the meeting to continue their conversation in good faith to come up with a solution that works for both parties.
In other business, the council:
Honored Ruby Denson for her decades of service to the city as a volunteer
De-annexed a sliver of land in Liberty Park to clean up a prospective office space
Annexed 2608 Rillwood Road from Jefferson County and rezoned it for compatible estate zoning in the city
Annexed and rezoned 2594 Acton Road from Jefferson County agricultural to Vestavia Hills medium-density residential
Annexed and rezoned 2401 Rocky Ridge Road from Jefferson County low-density residential to Vestavia Hills low-density residential
Annexed 2565 Rocky Ridge Road, which is Grace Covenant Baptist Church, and rezoned it for compatible institutional zoning in the city
Annexed and rezoned 1420 Branchwater Circle from Jefferson County estate to Vestavia Hills low-density residential
Entered into an agreement with Ebix for management of claims and risk data
Approved an agreement with International Fire for fire safety inspections for City Hall, the Vestavia Hills Police Department and the Vestavia Hills Civic Center
Named Curry the voting delegate for the Alabama League of Municipalities Convention
Approved an liquor license for Biscuit Love
Approved a liquor license for Cafe Iz for them to serve alcohol at the Civic Center if they are chosen as the event’s caterer
Authorized the Police Department to place Flock cameras on private property, approving an agreement with property owners
Encouraged Alabama Governor Kay Ivey to expedite the Northern Beltline project
