City officials hope construction of a new telecommunications tower by a private company will help address ongoing coverage issues, while acknowledging it will not be a complete solution.
The Lake Forest City Council voted unanimously March 16 to approve construction of a new tower and a corresponding ground lease at the city’s compost center, 1381 Kennedy Road. Alderwoman Alice LeVert, 3rd abstained, as she previously mentioned she works in the telecommunications industry.
“This is an incremental step in achieving your goal of improving telecommunication service community-wide,” Community Development Director Catherine Czerniak told the council.
The proposed 160-foot tower will be built by Tower North just southeast of the existing water tower. The ground lease covers a 75-by-75-foot area enclosed by a chain-link fence, with all equipment located within the secured space.
The initial lease term is five years, with options for nine additional five-year extensions.
Under the agreement, the city will receive an upfront payment of $125,000 and monthly rent of $500 or 30 % of subtenant rental revenue, whichever is greater. Czerniak said after the meeting that anticipated annual revenue is projected to start at between $45,000 and $50,000 and could go higher.
With the construction of the new tower, the city expects Verizon to establish a presence at the site. Currently, only AT&T and T-Mobile have equipment on the existing water tower.
“Adding Verizon to that site adds the most value from a community benefit service perspective,” Czerniak said.
A Verizon spokesman confirmed plans are in place to connect at the site. Tower North did not respond to repeated requests for comment.
Czerniak said the new tower would also have space for a fourth carrier if additional interest emerges.
The city currently receives a combined approximate $200,000 annually from AT&T and T-Mobile leases on the water tower, though Czerniak said those agreements are set to expire within the next few years.
Tower North has up to 18 months to secure approvals from other agencies before construction can begin. However, Czerniak said she expects construction to start by late September and be completed by the end of 2026.
Once the antennas are installed, the city plans to conduct a broader analysis of wireless coverage, she said.
Czerniak cautioned that while improvements are expected with the new tower, residents should not anticipate a complete fix.
“What we are hearing from the wireless companies is there will be some improvement, but it is not expected to address the quality and coverage concerns that we are hearing,” she said. “It is a step in making improvements, but it is not expected to solve all of the service issues community-wide.”
With AT&T and T-Mobile planning to relocate their equipment from the water tower to the new structure, Czerniak noted the move will give the city an opportunity to refurbish the 160-foot water tower within the next five years.
Daniel I. Dorfman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
