Five cellular telephone towers are proposed for the Layton area by Sprint.
City Manager Alex Jensen told the City Council in a working meeting Thursday night that the city is getting closer to an agreement with Sprint and hopes to have something in the near future.David Killpack, managing director of projects for Allred Soffe Wilkinson and Nichols, made a presentation to the City Council on the issue.
Four public sites have been chosen and one private site is being pursued. Killpack said towers could be constructed on the fire station on north Church Street, at West Layton Park, on the city's public works building and at Andy Adams Park. The private site is yet to be determined.
The proposed towers would be 100 feet high and painted to blend with the environment. "We can paint them any color the city wants," Killpack said. The color just needs to be ordered, he added.
Painted cellular towers already exist in Utah. One can be found at the mouth of Sardine Canyon on the way to Wellsville and Logan. That tower is painted a green color to help it blend with surrounding trees.
Some on the council expressed concern about landscaping and fencing around the towers as well. "Sprint is willing to proivde fencing, trees or landscaping or whatever the city wants," Killpack said.
Approximately 18 months ago, the Federal Communciation Commission auctioned $5 billion of wireless service licenses. Sprint bought 32 of these licenses. It is hoping to establish a wireless system throughout Utah, Idaho and other parts of the country.