An artificial eucalyptus tree nearly eight stories tall could become Maricopa’s next wireless tower—if the Planning and Zoning Commission approves a conditional-use permit Monday night.
The proposal, called SBA Tower at Shea Way, would place an 83-foot “monoeucalyptus” facility on a small piece of Walmart-owned property at 41650 W. Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway, roughly one-tenth of a mile northwest of the highway and Shea Way.
It is a stealth design in the planning sense: antennas and equipment would be shaped and colored to resemble a tree. It would not be invisible, and no wireless carrier has been named in the public packet.
The commission is scheduled to hold a public hearing and take action on CUP 26-08 at its Oct. 26 meeting.
What is actually proposed
The City staff report describes a 3,600-square-foot lease area with a tower measuring 78 feet to the top of the main structure and 83 feet to the top of its appurtenance.
Because the site sits within a retention basin, the compound would be raised on a grated platform intended to preserve water flow. Plans show an internal stairway, equipment areas and screening. The applicant would remove about 12 feet of existing fencing and install a gate for access.
The tower is designed to hold up to three antenna arrays. Yet the current request does not include a carrier or actual antenna installation. Any later carrier equipment would require additional permits and review.
That stage distinction is the most important fact for residents: Monday’s item is a conditional-use permit for the tower facility. It is not an announcement that a specific phone company is switching on service, and it is not proof that construction will begin immediately.
Why the applicant says it is needed
SBA Towers X, the tower company identified in the application, says the site is intended to address wireless coverage and capacity gaps and to support multiple carriers. Kimley-Horn is listed as the representative, and Walmart is the property owner.
Those are applicant claims, not an independent City finding that residents will receive a particular improvement in signal, speed or carrier choice. Without a named carrier and radio-frequency details in the public packet, it is too early to say which customers might benefit.
What nearby residents may notice
City staff identifies commercial development to the east, south and west. The Oasis at the Wells and Horizon at the Wells apartment communities are about 200 feet north of the proposed site.
The visual question is likely to be the most immediate one. “Monoeucalyptus” towers are designed to blend into desert landscaping more than a bare monopole, but an 83-foot artificial tree can still be prominent—especially when nearby vegetation is much shorter.
The City packet includes photo simulations, but those images are applicant materials. This article’s visual is an original scale explainer rather than a reuse of the applicant’s rendering.
The staff report says notification letters went to property owners within 600 feet and public notices were posted in September. An Oct. 8 neighborhood meeting drew no attendees and no comments, according to the applicant’s citizen-participation report. City staff also reports no calls or emails at the time the staff report was written.
That record means no comments were documented through those channels—not that every nearby resident supports or opposes the project.
Staff recommends approval—with conditions
Planning staff recommends approval subject to 15 conditions. Among them:
the conditional-use permit would run for 10 years;
a building permit must be obtained within two years or the approval would expire;
tower antennas and related equipment must be painted to match the stealth structure;
lighting is not allowed unless required by law, and any required lighting must be directed downward where permitted; and
the project must satisfy applicable City, fire, Federal Communications Commission and Federal Aviation Administration requirements.
Commissioners can approve, deny or modify the request within their authority after the public hearing. The posted agenda and staff recommendation do not establish the final decision in advance.
How to follow Monday’s decision
The Oct. 26 Planning and Zoning Commission agenda lists the case as a public hearing and action item. Residents should use the City’s current agenda page for meeting time, location, remote-viewing information and any late-posted materials.
For readers tracking growth beyond this single site, OurMaricopa’s SR 347 commuter guide, new-resident guide and local dining guide provide broader context. None of those pages changes the pending status of CUP 26-08.
The practical takeaway is simple: a tall artificial eucalyptus is proposed behind Walmart, City staff recommends approval with conditions, and the public decision point arrives Monday. A carrier, construction date and service launch remain unconfirmed.
Sources
City of Maricopa / Legistar — CUP 26-08, SBA Tower at Shea Way — https://maricopa.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?GUID=35A4CF35-7F8F-47C4-B49E-0C043DDA51A7&ID=8297191&Options=&Search= — created Oct. 13, 2026; accessed Oct. 25, 2026.
City of Maricopa — CUP 26-08 Staff Report — attached to the official Legistar record; agenda date Oct. 26, 2026; accessed Oct. 25, 2026.
Kimley-Horn / SBA Towers X — Project Narrative and Plan Drawings — attached to the official Legistar record; accessed Oct. 25, 2026.
Applicant citizen-participation report — SBA Tower at Shea Way neighborhood meeting — attached to the official Legistar record; meeting held Oct. 8, 2026; accessed Oct. 25, 2026.