Avon Lake, Bay Officials Mull Cell Tower in Walker Road Park

and Bay Village officials met April 20 to discuss a proposed cell tower in , taking a first—but not necessarily a definite step—in approving the proposed 150-foot tower.

The meeting represented the first of what is expected to be several joint meetings between the cities to place an AT&T tower in the park, that is jointly owned by both Avon Lake and Bay Village, but sits entirely in the city of Avon Lake.

Attorney Jim Miller, representing AT&T, said he understood the park might not be the most desirable location to put a tower, but there was only a finite space a tower could be located to provide needed coverage to the western portion of Bay Village by the lake and Avon Lake’s eastern part.

“The only place not in someone’s front yard is Walker Road Park,” Miller said. “If we had another location not in the park, we would have taken it. We have a spot on our grid not covered and we want to put a tower there.

Miller said AT&T considered an area near the Bay Village Service Center, but it would not provide adequate coverage for the provider, whose cell towers must face south.            

Although photos distributed at the meeting showed a specific location for the tower in the park, Miller said the spot noted was not definite.

“Anywhere in the park would suffice for us,” Miller said.

 Avon Lake Councilman Dan Bucci raised the issue that was responsible for preventing a cell tower from being erected in Bleser Park in 2003, directing Miller to a section of the city’s ordinance that states: Ordinance 1256.03 “encourages the placement of wireless telecommunications facilities and towers in nonresidential areas, in the following order of preference: (1) City-owned property, except parks.”

“What it’s saying is this is the preference,” Miller said of the ordinance. “It’s not saying you can’t. We understand this isn’t the preferred location, but it’s the only location we can find.”

Councilman Martin O’Donnell asked Avon Lake Mayor K.C. Zuber if he and Bay Village Mayor Deborah Sutherland supported the tower in the park.

“We talked about it and entertained to look at it,” Zuber said. “There’s still a long ways to go on this. There’s also a possibility of a referendum on this.”

Zuber went door-to-door in 2003 petitioning to have the tower in Bleser Park, proposed by then-mayor Rob Berner, go to referendum saying at the time cell towers did not belong in city parks and voters agreed. Last year, a tower was erected behind City Hall, just feet away from the park.

Should AT&T receive a lease at a “negotiable” $2,000 a month, Zuber suggested that money could go to Walker Road Park improvements including playing fields. He also suggested that if awarded a lease, AT&T could add other improvements.

“They could build a concession stand there and house their equipment in the back of the building,” Zuber said.

Whether the structure, if approved, would be a flagpole (see photos) or tower remained uncertain. Avon Lake Councilman Tim Rush and Michael Young leaned toward a flag pole. Bay Village Councilman David Tadych said he couldn’t support a choice yet.

Discussions will continue and future joint meetings are expected.

Young said he still wanted to have his law director review the lease and review a host of other requirements before moving forward. Public hearings are also probable, council members said.