Westlake discusses addition of new cell tower

The Westlake Town Council discussed adding a new cell tower at the corner of W. Dove Road and Davis Blvd. during their regular council meeting on Dec. 19. If passed in its current form, the tower would stand adjacent to Westlake Fire Station No. 1.

Currently there are no cell towers in Westlake, reception depends upon equipment placed on cell and water towers in neighboring communities. The impetus behind the construction of the town’s first cell tower came after the town council received feedback from residents and the business community about poor cellular reception in certain parts of town. “Topography comes into the equation when you have peaks and valleys,” said Mayor Pro Tem David Quint.

Most of the discussion on the subject centered on the proposed height of the tower. When first introduced by staff, the recommended height of the tower was 100 feet. After signal testing and diagnostics were completed, the recommended height changed to 150 feet. The taller height not only allows for a wider-coverage umbrella, it also allows more providers to attach their equipment to the tower. Concern about height was addressed by Assistant Town Manager Troy Meyer. “If you scale it back [to 100 feet], some providers might bail out."

A contract tower lease with Vertical Bridge was approved by the town council in January 2022.

Beyond cellular service, other services that will be provided as part of the lease include Wi-Fi, emergency communication services and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) services. The system combines hardware and software that monitors equipment like motors, pumps, and valves to a remote server in real time.

As part of the contract, Vertical Bridge will pay the town $12,000 per year for the first two carriers and an additional $300 per month for each additional carrier. They would also be responsible for all repairs and maintenance.

The proposed tower will match the aesthetic look of Westlake Fire Station No. 1 and would hide all of the communication equipment and power systems behind its facade. It would need to be passed by the Westlake Planning & Zoning Commission before the town council has a chance to vote on it. The next meeting is Jan. 23.