Frisco City Council members approved the updates during a Dec. 3 meeting. The approval comes just a few weeks after officials postponed it to allow further conversation with cell carrier representatives.
There were no changes made to the amendment as a result of the additional discussions, said Jonathan Hubbard, assistant director of development services.
Explained
Here is what was included in the now-approved amendment:
- Requiring a specific use permit, which requires city approval, for non-stealth commercial antennas
- Requiring a specific use permit for monopoles
- Allowing commercial stealth antennas without council approval if they meet the city’s development standards
Other updates focused on the development standards for commercial stealth antennas, including:
- Defining a commercial stealth antenna as a commercial antenna designed to be unobtrusive to the surrounding area, such as those on a water tower or light pole
- Requiring a cell tower that exceeds the maximum-allowed height the area is zoned for must increase its setback, the minimum amount of space required between the structure and the road or other identified property, by two feet for every one foot of extra height
- Mandating associated buildings or structures need to be architecturally compatible with the development
Some aspects of the ordinance will go unchanged. This includes the standard that commercial stealth antennas are automatically allowed in residential areas where the primary use on the property is a church, athletic stadium or field, school or utility structure.
Commercial stealth antennas are also allowed in non-residential areas, according to city documents. The deciding factor will be if the project meets the development standards outlined in the ordinance.
A breakdown of the ordinance updates can be found here.
Something of note
Hubbard said the city had only received two cell tower project proposals in the last six years. Both were for commercial stealth antennas and neither made it past the planning process, he said.
“The lack of coverage that certain parts of Frisco are experiencing, we understand that that did not occur overnight,” Hubbard said.
The city’s Development Services Department has been working on the ordinance for the last 18 months.
“We want better connectivity,” Council member John Keating said. “We need private investment to solve this and our citizens want better service.”
The other side
Ryan Beck, director of state and local government affairs with Verizon Wireless, spoke during the meeting to say the carrier still had concerns with the ordinance.
The main issues he gave were that there was not enough guidance on the aesthetic requirements, “burdensome setback requirements” and the examples of towers with decorative art included in the ordinance, which he said were not realistic expectations for wireless infrastructure.
“Despite these concerns, we are hopeful that Verizon will be able to build at the pace and the scale that is needed to serve the residents, businesses and visitors of Frisco,” Beck said.
Beck said the carrier company was cautioned against proposing new infrastructure projects until they were done amending the ordinance. Development Services Director John Lettelleir said that decision did not come from Frisco staff and the carrier could have legally still submitted projects.
What comes next
Lettelleir said city staff will check in on the ordinance, and if it has made any difference, in around one year.
“It's a process...the first year is always a little challenging,” Lettelleir said. “[The] second year is going to be easier. After the third year, you know what's working and not working.”
