Another cellphone provider to add antennas to Grosse Pointe Farms tower

GROSSE POINTE FARMS — Another cellphone service provider will be adding some of its equipment to a communications tower on Grosse Pointe Farms City Hall property at 90 Kerby Road.

The Farms City Council voted unanimously March 13 in favor of a site plan from T-Mobile to add six of its antennas to the city-owned tower to improve service for T-Mobile customers. The antennas will be located below antennas from two other carriers on the tower, at the height of 94 feet. The tower itself is 160 feet tall.

Because this is an existing tower, City Manager Shane Reeside said, it was an “ideal site” for the equipment.

“We feel, logistically, we can accommodate T-Mobile and it will improve (coverage in the area),” Reeside said.

Wallace Haley, an attorney representing T-Mobile, said this wouldn’t cause any additional nuisance to the surrounding neighborhood.

“The only visibility is the fact that there will be six more antennas on the tower,” Haley told the council. “As to noise, there is no additional noise.”

Haley also addressed possible health concerns, saying that the cumulative amount of additional radiation generated by these antennas was “so far below” what’s allowed under government standards.

“You’re not creating any health effects to folks in the neighborhood ,and you’re not increasing noise,” Haley said.

The Public Safety Department said the extra antennas wouldn’t create any problems with its radio signals.

“We reviewed it, and we have no objections” as long as the pole could support the weight of the additional antennas, Public Safety Director John Hutchins said.

Associated T-Mobile ground equipment will be located in the Public Safety Department garage, in the bike room.

According to a lease agreement, the city will receive $1,600 per month from T-Mobile for use of the tower. The first lease is for a five-year term, with three automatic five-year term renewals. Every 12 months — on the anniversary of the start of T-Mobile’s use of the tower — the cellphone service provider has agreed to increase its rent payment by 3.5%.