Killeen Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting: May 11, 2026
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Killeen Planning and Zoning Commission Regular Meeting – May 11, 2026
The Planning and Zoning Commission held a regular meeting on May 11, 2026, immediately following a workshop at 4:30 p.m. The regular meeting began at 4:46 p.m. in the Utility Collections Large Conference Room, 210 W. Avenue C, Killeen, Texas. The primary agenda item was a public hearing on a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) for a wireless telecommunication tower on property zoned B-3 (Local Business District) at 7432 East Trimmier Road.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of Agenda: Unanimously approved via motion by Commissioner Jones, second by Commissioner Giacomozzi.
- Approval of Minutes: Minutes from the April 27, 2026 regular meeting were approved unanimously via motion by Commissioner Cooper, second by Commissioner Giacomozzi.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Applicant Representation: Vince Heber (Vincent Gerard & Associates) presented on behalf of First Assembly of God Inc. He explained the need for an 85-foot monopole wireless tower to improve capacity and in-building coverage in southeastern Killeen, particularly for the Verizon network. He stated the tower would be designed to accommodate multiple carriers and meet all code requirements including a 40-foot fall zone. He provided coverage maps showing improvement.
- Opposition Speakers:
- Stephen Jones: Opposed citing existing towers nearby, property value concerns, health risks for children, and questioned the need since fiber internet is available. He called the tower an unnecessary bombardment.
- Edward Depreet: Opposed; stated they moved to avoid such structures, expressed health concerns, and noted existing service was perfect with Verizon.
- Ricky Reyes: Opposed; cited potential $12,000 property value loss, questioned the need given multiple nearby towers, and urged reconsideration of location.
- Support Speakers:
- Pastor Cecil Adams (First Assembly of God): Expressed reluctant support, citing growth of 30,000 new homes, need to reach younger generations, and that the church property was the only suitable commercial tract in the area.
- Donald Smith (church member): Supported, stating the tower solves a future problem and noted the church board voted unanimously to approve.
Discussion Items
- Staff presented the CUP request, including site plan, zoning context (surrounded by AR1 and R1 properties), notification results (12 responses received: 5 within 200-foot buffer, 6 within 400-foot buffer, 1 outside the notification area). Staff recommended approval with conditions, including collocation requirements, landscaping screening, lighting, and a six-month construction timeline.
- Commissioners questioned the applicant about fall zone safety, property values, co-location potential, and RF health effects. Commissioner Jones noted that eight homes in the neighborhood sold in the last 180 days, with six at 100% of asking price and two at 98%, countering property value decline concerns.
- Commissioner Cooper suggested a condition requiring the tower to be designed as a pine tree (monopine) to blend with the area, similar to a tower in north Killeen.
- The two opposing commissioners explained their votes: one cited solidarity with residents and uncertainty about health effects; the other echoed that residents reported no service issues and questioned whether existing tower capacity was truly exhausted.
Key Outcomes
- Vote on Public Hearing (Case Z26-10): The commission voted 5–2 to recommend approval of the Conditional Use Permit as requested, with an additional condition that the tower be designed as a pine tree (monopine). The motion was made by Commissioner Cooper, seconded by Commissioner Rowe. Five commissioners (Purifoy, Giacomozzi, Cooper, Jones, Rowe) voted in favor; two commissioners (Moss, O’Brien) voted against.
- Note: The CUP ultimately requires a three-fourths majority (minimum six votes) of the seven-member City Council for final approval.
- The next scheduled Planning and Zoning Commission meeting is June 8, 2026.
Meeting Transcript
We will begin the workshop meeting uh for May 11th. Um public hearing public hearing uh PH1 public hearing to and consider request submitted by Vincent Girard and associates on behalf of First Assembly of God Inc. Case number Z 26-10 for conditional use permit to allow the installation of a wireless telecommunication tower on property zone B3, local business district being approximately two acres being lot one, block one McClerklin addition. The subject property is locally addressed as 7432, East Premier Road, Colleen, Texas. I will now turn it over to staff. Good evening, commissioners. Um the applicant is requesting approval of a conditional use permit to allow for the construction of an 85-foot monopole wireless communication tower. The proposed facility is intended to improve wireless service um coverage in the southeastern portion of Killeen, and the tower is also designed to accommodate multiple carriers and will include associated ground equipment. This is the location map, and the red star indicates where the subject properties located at. Um that it's 85 feet from the property. This is the uh zoning map, and the property to the south is zone B3, local business district, and that's where the um church is located. And they also own the property that has been requested for the conditional use permit. To the north, it's property zoned AR1, and to the west, it's also property zoned AR1 as well, which is undeveloped property, and to the east it's the um subdivision that is zoned R1, single family residential. The property is located within the control growth area on the growth sector map and designated as campus on the future land use map of the Kaleen 2040 comprehensive plan, and it is in compliance with the comprehensive plan. Staff notified property owners of 44 surrounding properties regarding those requests, and as of date of the staff report, we received 12 responses, and of those responses received, five are within the uh 200 foot buffer, and six are from property owners located within the 400-foot um notification buffer, and one of the responses is not within the notification area. So this is a map we provided with the responses, and you can see um which ones are um located within the each buffer, and the property to the west is the one that's not located within the um notification buffer. The planning and zoning commission may recommend disapproval of the applicant's um CUP request. You may recommend approval of the CUP with conditions or recommend approval of the applicant's um CUP request as presented. Staff recommends approval of the applicant's request for a conditional use permit with the following conditions. So the project shall substantially comply with the site plan. The proposed telecommunications tower shall comply with the collocation requirements of section 31-604. A screening device shall be installed and maintained in accordance with section 31-606. And a site, um all site development standards outlined in section 31-609 shall be met prior to issuer issuance of a certificate of occupancy or final inspection approval. Any dry viol and maneuvering maneuvering areas shall consist of an all-weather surface, asphalt or concrete. Mature vegetation and structures to disguise as much of the tower as possible from public view. Existing trees, mature vegetation and structures to the degree technically feasible locate the tower on a proportion of the site that is effectively locate isolated from view of residential areas by structures or terrain features, unless the tower and facility are integrated or act as an architectural element of the structure, such as a flagpole or parking lot light, or are effectively screened through install landscaping or other acceptable screening. Landscape screening shall be installed and maintained in accordance with section 31609 and shall include trees with a minimum of one inch diameter shall be planted around the screening device with a maximum space of 25 feet. A continuous hedge of one gallon sized evergreen ground cover shall be planted along the screening device. All landscaping shall be drought resistant or irrigated and properly maintained to ensure good health and viability. That the site shall comply with all applicable landscaping requirements, including trees and shrub planting requirements in accordance with section 31-893. That the tower shall be lighted with low intensity lights to provide added visibility for aviation navigation. Any city permit, including the special use permit, shall become null and void if the permitted tower and communication facility is not constructed within six months of the date of issuance, provided that the special use permit may be extended one time for six months if foundation inspection has been completed before the expiration of the initial six months. Approval of a conditional use permit for a wireless telecommunications tower requires a three-fourths majority vote of the city council. Accordingly, approval of this request will require a minimum of six affirmative votes from the seven-member city council. Staff recommends approval of the applicant's request for a conditional use permit to allow the installation of a wireless telecommunications tower on the property zone B3 subject to the aforementioned conditions. So it has to be designed to accommodate that. Doesn't mean that they have to do it, it just has to allow for it. Okay. Any other questions for staff? Thank you. At this time, 446 p.m. I call the regular meeting uh for the planning and zoning commission to order at uh 446, 11 May 26, 446 p.m. Uh who do we have? Looks like all everybody's present today. First order of business is the approval of the agenda. Is there any discussion about the agenda? Do I have a motion for the agenda? Yes, sir. I make a motion to approve. Do I have a second?
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