Plans to install a 158-foot cell tower along the Arkansas River in Fort Smith, AR, have sparked dissent between supporters and opponents of the proposal. Tillman Infrastructure applied for a conditional use permit that would allow plans to move forward, but SBA Communications argued to the Fort Smith Planning Commission that there were serious drawbacks to the request. The conditional use request was approved in August, and immediately challenged by SBA. According to TalkBusiness.net, the Commission was swayed by objections to the cell tower, voting 5-to-1 to withdraw their approval for the conditional use permit.
Tillman had applied for the permit saying that they needed it to enhance their delivery of 5G coverage. RAN engineer, Dustin Cristal, clarified that the new tower would address capacity issues. A cell tower across the river in Van Buren already serves the Fort Smith area, he noted, but an additional tower would help disperse the digital load. It was Tillman’s contention that a second cell tower would be a better option than ramping up colocation efforts.
Speaking on behalf of SBA Communications, attorney Stephen Smith said that no benefit was to be gained by constructing a Tillman cell tower only half a mile away from the existing SBA cell tower. He told the Commission that the two providers have already been in discussions about colocating their equipment. Smith added that in many communities, colocation is not only preferred, it is mandated.
“It goes to the heart of the issue that there needs to be not only the communication between these parties about this,” argued Smith, “It’s got to be a maximum effort between both parties in order to benefit the surrounding residents.”
Tillman had asked to put the cell tower in a commercial zone on a 14 acre plot near a Gerber Foods plant and the OK Foods corporate office. Although not a residential placement, neighbors contacted the Commission to weigh in against the proposed cell tower. Maggie Rice, Fort Smith Director of Development Services, noted that numerous phone calls and emails were received from nearby residents saying that they did not want the tower, though none of them chose to attend the recent Planning Commision meeting in person.
Upon learning that residents reported no problems with spotty service, and considering SBA’s information about colocation, the Fort Smith Planning Commission eventually declined to issue the conditional use permit TalkBusiness.net reported.
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