The Chesterfield County Planning Commission has moved forward an ordinance change that would allow for taller church steeples in residential areas to incorporate cell phone transmitters.

The current limit in residential districts is 50 feet, though exceptions have been made in the past for cases like Huguenot Road Baptist Church, which has a 130-foot steeple that architecturally incorporates a cell-phone transmitter.

Planning staff has recommended increasing the height allowance to 150 feet, the same as in agricultural districts, citing the benefits of better cellular coverage. The steeple height would be limited, however, to three times the height of the building.

A public hearing has been set on the matter for Oct. 21.