A telecommunications company is proposing to build a 50-foot wireless tower disguised as a tree in downtown Larkspur.
The application by AT&T to develop the site at 7 King St. is intended to close a gap in coverage for the area, said Elise Semonian, the city’s community development director.
The project requires approval by both the Heritage Preservation Board and the Planning Commission. The heritage board held a hearing on Oct. 24 and directed a consultant to gauge the potential effects on the surrounding area.
“They expressed concern that the facility would eliminate other potential uses of the site,” Semonian said. “They requested that staff continue to communicate with the applicant regarding alternative locations for the facility.”
The project will return to the Heritage Preservation Board after a historic study has been prepared. The area is a nationally registered historic district, Semonian said.
The application requires a consultant to prepare an environmental study before the board makes a recommendation. The city’s architectural historian will review the document.
AT&T representatives were not present at the meeting, Semonian said. Rather, a historical consultant hired by the company sought comments from the board about the evaluation required to advance the proposal.
The tower would vastly improve 4G, 5G, LTE services in that area of the city, Jared Kearsley, a zoning manager for 51 Wireless, a site acquisition company working on behalf of AT&T, said in the application.
“AT&T has chosen the only viable site location in the search area that will fill AT&T’s significant gap in coverage,” he said.
Plans submitted to the city show the tree integrated into the wooded area surrounding the shops and homes downtown. The tree cell tower rises to the approximate height of other trees in the area.
The city has notified adjacent residents and business owners and has not received any feedback, Semonian said.
The faux tree would be located on a 600-square-foot area, according to the plans. The tower would be surrounded by an estimated 50-foot-tall fence.
Potential alternative sites on Marin Municipal Water District land and on top of TJ’s Gym were rejected because of inadequate space, according to the application.
The applicant said if the faux tree is not approved, a fake water tower would be offered as an alternative.
