An example method is provided in one example embodiment and includes receiving a request to relocate a user equipment (UE) from a source macro radio to an ambiguous small cell access point (AP), wherein the request includes a target cell identity (ID) encoded with a source macro cell identifier for the source macro radio and a target sub-carrier identifier for the ambiguous small cell AP; determining potential target small cell APs for relocation of the first UE using the using the first target cell ID, wherein each of the potential target small cell APs are within a coverage area of the source macro radio and operate using the target sub-carrier identifier; and preparing, for each of the potential target small cell APs, a common channel to receive relocation of the first UE. The first UE can relocate to a particular target small cell access point using the common channel.