Thursday, March 28, 2024

Council Approves Five 5G Network Poles

During the March 3 session, Southlake City Council approved five AT&T 5G network poles in locations around Southlake.

The future 5G mobile network supplied by cell phone providers will be primarily supported by nodules at the top of poles around communities. By changing from a few large towers to many small localized poles, providers will be able to deliver 5G data speeds up to 20 times faster than the current 4G technology.

Texas SB 1004, which went into effect September 1, 2017, requires cities to allow the use of City right-of-ways (including traffic signal poles, sign poles and non-decorative light poles) for 5G poles.

These five poles required City Council review and approval due to locating within Town Square, which has a “design district,” or near a City park or residential area. While the City Council cannot prohibit 5G poles from being located within the right-of-way areas, the City Council can in some cases require certain reasonable aesthetic requirements such as requiring the pole to be a certain color or the screening of equipment.

The poles approved during Tuesday’s Council session will be located at the following locations:

  • 1080 S. Carroll in Noble Oaks Park
  • 1211 S. White Chapel Boulevard (just south of the traffic circle)
  • 371 State Street (Town Square)
  • 351 Central Avenue (Town Square)
  • 1651 E. SH 114 (Town Square)

Four permits have previously been issued for the following locations outside of design districts:

  • 1501 W. Southlake Boulevard (near Carroll Sr. High School)
  • 301 Parkwood Drive (near the intersection of Parkwood Drive and Byron Nelson Parkway)
  • 2601 E. SH 114 (near Costco)
  • 120 N. Kimball Avenue (on the west side of the road just north of E. Southlake Boulevard)

View Southlake Ordinance 1178, which manages the poles placed in right-of-ways here.

Click here for more information about the 5G poles going up around Southlake.

Watch Tuesday’s City Council meeting here.