Lawton city code guides process to set cell phone towers

City of Lawton officials said a code adopted by the City Council in November 2021 guides the process they use to grant permits for cell phone towers.

One cell phone company has begun widespread setting of those towers as part of their efforts to ensure 5G coverage across the city, and some residents are complaining they were not notified about the work and that the placements may not be following the law. Those residents say they also are getting conflicting information about whether work can continue on the 26 towers that were given revocable permits by the City Council between December 2021 and September 2023, and when the council will be discussing the issue.

City officials said late last week that the majority of those towers are following the requirements of their permit.

Community Services Director Charlotte Brown said at the present time, there has been only one “stop work” order issued among the 26 sites permitted by the City Council: a pole on Micklegate Boulevard in the Gray Warr Addition that doesn’t appear to be in the correct location. As part of the permitting process contained within city code, cell phone towers have specific requirements for placement, in relation to their proximity to streets, sidewalks, waterlines and sewer lines, and failure to comply with those regulations can result in revocation of the permit and removal of the structure.

The process also specifies the City Council must sign off on revocable permits, once they have been researched then recommended for approval by city staff. The council has done so four times: eight sites on Dec. 7, 2021 (the first ones permitted under the new ordinance), 13 on June 27, 2023, four on Sept. 12, 2023 (which includes the Micklegate location), and 1 on Sept. 26, 2023.

The city code provision set into place in 2021 pretty much mirrors state statue, in regards to the small cell wireless facilities, city officials said. While that code provides for exemptions from requirements in four instances — including height and placement in proximity to a city water main — U.S. Cellular has not received any waivers for installation of its poles, Brown said.

City code also specifies that adjacent property owners must provide written permission for the facility to be placed adjacent to their property. In these instances, the adjacent property owner is the City of Lawton, which gave its permission in the form of revocable permits.