Villa Park gets update on TowerCo cell tower at 1250 S. Ardmore; board to request baseline RF information

Village of Villa Park trustees received a progress update Jan. 12 on a monopole cell tower erected at 1250 South Ardmore, a site described as on the northwest corner of the high school property and across from the Islamic Foundation.

Attorney Morton explained TowerCo had sought a special-use permit in 2023 that the village board ultimately denied, triggering litigation. The village settled that lawsuit in September 2024 and the settlement allowed the tower to proceed with mitigations negotiated with neighbors: the monopole was moved 30 feet farther from the road and lowered by 10 feet from its original proposal, and TowerCo agreed to waive the right to enlarge the tower in the future without village approval. Morton said the ground-level mechanical equipment will be screened by a 5-foot green fence and an outer row of 8-foot evergreens.

Trustee Sabri asked who will monitor radio-frequency exposure and how the village would obtain a baseline and ongoing transmission data, especially because the tower sits near a kindergarten and Willowbrook High School. Morton said federal law and Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulations primarily govern RF exposure limits and that such concerns are not a lawful basis for denying a tower under the Telecommunications Act of 1996. Morton added, however, that the village will try to obtain baseline information from the company before antennas go live and will share that data with the board and the public.

Village President Kevin Patrick and Manager Rivas said staff will set up a meeting with TowerCo to request equipment specifications and baseline readings so the village can maintain a future database to track changes. No formal vote was required; trustees asked staff to pursue the data and report back.

The board also noted that TowerCo paid permit and stormwater buyout fees and that inspections are ongoing at the site.