Government
BY KAROLINE PFEIL
Lakeway OK’s new cellular tower on Highlands Boulevard
A new cellular tower has been approved in a 4-3 vote by Lakeway City Council and will be con- structed on Highlands Boulevard, near the Mount Lakeway trailhead. On Oct. 20, Lakeway City Council approved a special use permit to allow for the operation of a cellular tower at 251 Highlands Blvd., Austin, for a period of 40 years. The tower was proposed by Vincent Huebinger of Vincent Gerard Associates and will reach a height of 175 feet, with a total elevation of 880 feet, according to city documents. Some context The cell tower was originally put forward in September 2024. At that time, it was proposed to be constructed on a city-owned plot of land at 3303 Serene Hills Drive, just south of Serene Hills Elementary School. Ultimately, the September 2024 proposal was withdrawn. The new site, which was brought back one year
later, is located 0.3 miles northwest of that plot of land. What they’re saying The tower is intended to improve cellular service in the region, but some residents have argued against its construction. “[Residents of The Overlook] signed a petition stating they strongly oppose the placement of that cellphone tower,” Lakeway resident David Bryant said at the Oct. 20 meeting. Bryant said he disagreed with the tower’s place- ment in part because he believed it could diminish property values. However, several council members said the cell tower provided a needed improvement to cell service in the region. “It is an issue. I’ve talked to first responders, I’ve talked to our own police, other police, and out here it’s an issue for them as well,” Mayor Pro Tem Louis Mastrangelo said.
BONAIRE COURT
WORLD OF TENNIS SQUARE
New cell tower
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This is a problem that we need to fix— nobody wants it in their backyard, I get it, but it’s got to go somewhere. LOUIS MASTRANGELO, MAYOR PRO TEM
Cellphone infrastructure in Lakeway is con- sidered an area which may need improvement, according to the city’s 2020 comprehensive plan.
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