Sherwood alters zoning, approves conditional use for 110‑ft cell tower at Miller Pond amid resident objections

The Village of Sherwood approved a zoning amendment and a conditional use permit in 2010 that cleared the way for a cellular antenna site on village‑owned land at Miller Pond, prompting a contentious public response.

Plan Commission hearings in August and a public hearing before the Village Board in October focused on an application filed by Begley Wireless Consulting for AT&T. The Commission recommended a change to the local zoning ordinance (ZOA2010‑01) to allow a telecommunications antenna up to 110 feet on village land and recommended approval of the conditional use permit (CU2010‑01) at Miller Pond or an alternate village parcel, with stronger-than‑normal neighbor notification. During the October public hearing, residents from nearby condo and single‑family areas raised concerns about potential health effects, visual impact and property values; several asked the Board to refuse the site.

Applicant representative Shane Begley said coverage maps showed an existing gap that the proposed site would address, and that environmental and regulatory reviews required of the operator would precede construction. Village Administrator Randy Friday summarized potential lease revenue scenarios: one option would be roughly $8,000 per year for the Village if AT&T were the single tenant and the Village secured additional tenants; an alternate arrangement discussed was $18,000 yearly if AT&T guaranteed three tenants, with a 3% annual escalation. Trustees debated revenue, long‑term lease terms, tear‑down provisions and potential for future tower applications.

The Board voted to approve the zoning amendment (allowing towers up to 110 feet on village land) and approved the conditional‑use permit for the Miller Pond site, with President David Miller recusing himself from the conditional‑use vote. The Board instructed Administrator Friday to negotiate lease terms and required the Plan Commission to review final site plans and resident-notification materials.

Community reaction and next steps: Residents who opposed the tower said they were concerned about health risks and visibility; the Board recorded and treated those concerns in the public record but relied on counsel and federal regulations to require compliance with safety standards. The Village will finalize a lease, secure required site engineering and environmental reviews, and the Plan Commission will return the site plan for final engineering and visual mitigation review prior to construction.