City nixes telecomm expansion

By KEVIN RICH
Special to the PRESS

The South Padre Island City Council voted down a measure that would have allowed wireless service providers to boost signal strength on the Island.

The decision came during last Wednesday’s regular city meeting when the Council voted against granting a master license agreement with Mobilitie, LLC for use of public rights-of-way to erect several telecommunications towers. The item was previously tabled by council members back in October 2016.

Assistant City Manager Darla Jones provided background information on the request, which calls for the erection of eight wooden poles at various locations on SPI. The proposed poles range in height from 46 to 78 feet with cell phone related equipment attached to each.

“Being a resort community, and the City Council’s direction over the last couple of years putting an emphasis on aesthetics, on landscaping, on beautification, I really — from a staff standpoint — feel that this is not following that line of thought,” Jones said

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