Albemarle City Council unanimously voted to approve a conditional use permit to install a 160-foot wireless telecommunications tower at 201 N.C. Highway 740 Bypass.

The tower, which would be operated by Verizon Wireless, would provide standard cellphone service for emergency services and regular cellphone users and would be a capacity offload for high-density areas.

The tower would be camouflaged to look like a tree and fit into the natural surroundings.

There are already trees around the location selected for the tower. Additional bushes and trees will be added to the site to further help camouflage it.

A chain link fence with an opaque fabric screen will be added around the tower.