Wireless company getting better reception from Gurnee mayor

T-Mobile is out of Gurnee Mayor Kristina Kovarik's doghouse.

Last week, Kovarik became upset with T-Mobile after it refused to reconsider plans to build a 150-foot cellular tower on private land in unincorporated Lake County, bordering two Gurnee subdivisions. She said she publicly encouraged Gurnee residents to drop T-Mobile as a way to show its attitude toward the village wasn't welcome.

But an olive branch was extended Wednesday when T-Mobile hosted Gurnee's top administrators at a meeting in an effort to find another tower location to bolster coverage for homes on the village's west side, near Hunt Club Road and Washington Street.

Kovarik said T-Mobile's effort was much appreciated and she no longer wants residents to disconnect its service. Opponents in the South Ridge and Rolling Ridge subdivisions contend the 150-foot tower on the nearby unincorporated land would detract from their homes.

"I'm very optimistic that T-Mobile wants to be a good community neighbor and they're willing to work with us," she said.

Community Development Director David Ziegler and Village Administrator James Hayner met with eight T-Mobile employees in Chicago. Ziegler said the village presented alternative public and private Gurnee properties not close to houses.

Hayner was expected to contact private property owners Wednesday, with a possible resolution coming by week's end.

"We're trying to put this on the fast track here," Ziegler said.

Mark Wilson, T-Mobile's central region external affairs manager, said he thought the meeting with the Gurnee officials went well. He said T-Mobile radio frequency engineers are examining the alternative tower sites in Gurnee.

Wilson said industry studies show more than 50 percent of long-distance calls are over cell phones, so T-Mobile has set out to upgrade its service in residential neighborhoods.

Under Illinois law, cell towers are exempt from county zoning regulations with the exception of height and setbacks. Towers are permitted at any location provided certain requirements are met.