The Richwood Hills neighborhood in Shelby County, Tennessee, is a quiet residential community distinguished by mature trees, natural ravines, creeks, wildlife, and two important green spaces. These natural features are part of the character and beauty that residents have worked for years to preserve.

Recently, we discovered that a cell tower is set to be constructed just a few hundred feet from up to 50 homes in the subdivision.  AT&T plans to install a 159 -foot cell tower on a church lot, adjacent to homes and one of the green spaces, to improve a 0.5-mile radius coverage gap (SUP 2026-011). Per the Special Use Permit (SUP) application, the facility will be 185 feet from the nearest residential property, less than 100 feet from a daycare/preschool (also located on the church lot), and 200 feet from the street. 

While zoning boards are banned from making land-use decisions based on scientific studies suggesting potential health risks, such as dizziness and headaches, associated with prolonged exposure to electromagnetic fields, the placement of a massive commercial tower directly within our residential neighborhood raises several serious concerns:

1. Financial Impact:  50 homes in close proximity to the cell tower will experience a decrease in property value (2% to 10%). Thus, aggregated home equity will decrease up 1.3 million dollars (generational wealth).
2. Public Safety of Children: The tower and base station, with hazardous materials, such as diesel fuel, will be less than 100 feet from a daycare/preschool and its recreational spaces. 
3. Neighborhood Aesthetics: better, safer, and smaller options are possible and routinely utilized in affluent neighborhoods in Shelby County. There are currently two AT&T macro cell towers less than 1 mile from the proposed site.
4. Fair and Consistent Land-Use Decisions: Residents are also asking why comparable telecommunications applications appear to receive different treatment. A comparable tower application, SUP 2025-035, in a more affluent East Memphis neighborhood (zip code 38120) was rejected by the land use and control board (on March 12, 2026), but the same board approved SUP 2026-011.
5. Lack of Balance in Land Use: Telecommunications infrastructure is vital for connectivity, and while alternative locations, such as commercial or industrial zones away from homes and preschool/schools are preferrable, when looking strictly at residential neighborhoods, socioeconomic and GIS mapping data show an imbalance in siting of telecommunication facilities: 
   • AT&T Coverage Near Memphis, TN 38115 — 146 Towers /$25,274 Per Capita Income
   • AT&T Coverage Near Memphis, TN 38141— 143 Towers/$23,501 Per Capita Income
   • AT&T Coverage Near Memphis, TN 38125 — 60 Towers/ $39,115 Per Capita Income
   • AT&T Coverage Near Germantown, TN 38138 — 56 Towers /$67,918 Per Capita Income
   • AT&T Coverage Near Collierville, TN 38017 — 31 Towers/ $63,514 Per Capita Income
   • AT&T Coverage Near Germantown, TN 38139 — 25 Towers/ $85,385 Per Capita Income
     When accessing tower locations with GIS mapping, such as celltowermaps.com, a significant discrepancy is found.

Residents treasure the public health of our children, the value of our homes, our limited green spaces, and the beauty of our surroundings. The proposed site for the cell tower not only threatens the aesthetic of our community but may also affect property values negatively, deterring potential new residents who seek a serene environment.

There are viable alternative solutions that balance technological advancement and community well-being. One suggestion is to consider locations further away from densely populated areas or to explore smaller, less obtrusive antenna systems that provide the necessary service without compromising health and the environment. Governmental public records we have obtained demonstrate materially different AT&T infrastructure investment and deployment strategies, such as modernization, advanced antenna deployment, small-cell technology, and collocation, across neighborhoods in Shelby County, Tennessee. Reliable wireless service and responsible environmental planning are not competing objectives; thoughtful land-use decisions should seek to achieve both.

This is about more than one cell tower. It raises important questions about responsible land-use planning, protection of residential communities, consideration of less intrusive alternatives, and consistent treatment of neighborhoods throughout Shelby County. 

Why are some communities able to receive modern wireless service through greater use of smaller and less intrusive technologies, while other residential communities are repeatedly asked to accommodate large macro-tower infrastructure?

We are not asking Shelby County to stop technological progress. We are asking the County to make sure progress is planned responsibly, transparently, and consistently.

Please join us in urging local authorities to halt the installation of this cell tower. Sign this petition to preserve the essence of our community and seek more thoughtful solutions that prioritize people's well-being.

Contact: zoning@memphistn.gov; Brett.Ragsdale@memphistn.gov; clay.perry@shelbycountytn.gov; Erika.Sugarmon@shelbycountytn.gov