Proposed location for cellphone tower concerns history buffs

A small, empty plot of land on William Street soon could be the home of a new cellphone tower.

The property, owned by John Heuer, lies near some historic downtown properties, which leaves some residents concerned.

According to Marsha Haskell, regional director for AT&T Missouri, the network wants to place a 140-foot-tall "stealth communication tower" at 418 William St., which would be targeted at improving coverage in the downtown area.

"This is an investment in the future of Cape Girardeau," she said. "This tower would provide much-needed coverage in the William Street and downtown area."

Haskell and other representatives with AT&T met with the city's Planning and Zoning Commission on June 12 to request a special use permit, which is required for installing the telecommunications tower.

AT&T officials explained it would be "self-enclosed," with all antennas inside a structure designed to resemble a flagpole, complete with a Missouri state flag. An equipment shelter would be built near the tower, and both would be enclosed by a security fence.

The commission voted to approve the permit if the tower was "painted in a color and shade that blends with the sky" and if it is lighted when the flag is displayed during non-daylight hours. The commission's approval required before the permit is granted is by the Cape Girardeau City Council.

At the council's Monday night meeting, a public hearing on the issue was held before the vote was taken. Local historian Frank Nickell stood before the council to represent residents of the city's historic downtown area. He said he was approached last week by a group of concerned people who live near the area to speak on their behalf.

"I had been out of town and didn't even know this was happening," he said. "But they came to me with a petition, with three full pages of signatures that they had gathered in just two days and asked me if I would help them put together some comments to address the council."

Nickell said the tower would be one of the tallest structures in the city and visible from most properties, including 22 properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places. He said the property on William Street was right in the middle of the most historic area in the city.

"I don't think you could have picked a more historic place in Cape to put a 21st-century piece of technology where it will cast its shadow over 19th-century homes," he said.

Haskell said she recognized the concern with the tower was largely aesthetic, which is why it would be disguised to look like a flagpole.

"I think once they see the plan and have a better understanding of what it is, they'll be able to embrace it," she said. "The fence around it will be black vinyl-coated and the concrete structure will have a faux brick design to make it look like a brick structure to minimize the visual impact."

She also said it seemed "perfect" to fly the Missouri flag near the city's historic district.

The decision to place the tower at William Street was "a carefully made decision," she said, and because a cellphone signal travels through antennas, fiber optic cables in the ground and on to the network before reaching its destination, the wireless infrastructure must be at a close location to be effective.

Nickell said he and the others who have voiced concern about the tower agree the city needs better cellphone coverage in its downtown area; they just hope to explore other options about the tower's placement.

"No one is the villain in this," he said. "Everyone wants a positive solution. We just ask that they give us time to speak with them and become more educated about the issue."

Haskell said she and other AT&T representatives are talking with concerned residents who attended the public hearing and have arranged a meeting to discuss the issue. The city council will vote on the special use permit at its Aug. 5 meeting.

srinehart@semissourian.com

388-3641

Pertinent address:

418 William St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.