Brentwood Moves to Improve Cell Service

Published on April 15, 2026

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – The Brentwood City Commission is focused on improving wireless service in this community, and on Monday, they took a major step toward that goal by approving the lease of city-owned land for a new mobile telecommunications tower.

For several years, residents have complained about dropped calls and poor cell signals within the city limits. The commission made improving wireless service a goal for 2026, and in February, they amended the city code to address how to place cell towers, meeting strict “aesthetic standards,” on certain property types within the city.

“This was in a response to knowing that for years we’ve had areas in our community – pretty significant, large areas – that either had no wireless service or very poor wireless service,” Brentwood City Manager Jason Gage said.

During the April 13 meeting, the commission agreed to lease a small area at the Brentwood Police Department, 910 Heritage Way, to Vogue Towers II for a cellular tower. Vogue must now receive the approval of the Brentwood Planning Commission before it can construct a tower.

“This is something we’ve worked hard on with the cell towers, trying to get better cellphone coverage here in Brentwood,” Vice Mayor Rhea Little said. “Hopefully this will address it.”

Under the new city code, cell tower applicants must follow the requirements listed below:

• The applicant must show a clear technical need for the facility, subject to City review and approval.
• The tower height must be limited to what is necessary to provide reliable service and may not exceed 160 feet.
• The applicant must send a mailed notice to all property owners within 1,000 feet of the proposed site.
• Towers must be designed to accommodate multiple wireless carriers, reducing the need for additional towers in the same area.
• The tower must be a monopole design with engineered break points for safety and designed to blend with its surroundings to the greatest extent possible.

Opposing House Bill 1497/Senate Bill 1630

On Monday, the City Commission also publicly opposed proposed state legislation that would require all local elections in Tennessee to be held with either the August state primary or the November general election.

The City conducts its municipal elections in May, in accordance with its charter and local ordinances, allowing for election timing that is tailored to the needs of Brentwood residents. The proposed legislation would remove this local authority and mandate uniform election dates statewide.

The City’s concerns with the legislation include:

• Loss of Local Control: The state bill would eliminate the City’s ability to determine election timing that best serves its residents and governance structure.
• Reduced Focus on Local Issues: Holding local elections alongside state and federal races may diminish voter attention to municipal candidates and issues due to longer, more crowded ballots.
• Increased Campaign Costs: Candidates for local office may face higher costs and greater competition for visibility during high-turnout election cycles.
• Past Local Experience: Brentwood has previously experienced challenges when local elections coincided with larger election cycles, including reduced voter engagement on local matters.

“I think the state is overstepping a bit here. I think we have something that has worked very, very well,” Commissioner Ken Travis said. “We’re very efficient. Look at our budget, look at what we’re doing. I think we need to leave well enough alone.”

To watch the April 13 Brentwood City Commission meeting, visit this link.