Wednesday, February 7, 2001

S. PTC tower battle brewing

By DAVE HAMRICK
dhamrick@TheCitizenNews.com

Opposition is already in high gear concerning a proposed cell phone tower for south Fayette, with a public hearing almost three weeks away.

Homeowners in Brechin Park subdivision met Sunday to rally opposition to the tower, proposed by Sprint Communications for a site on the grounds of New Hope Baptist Church's south campus on Ga. Highway 74 just south of Peachtree City.

Since the tower site is near Hwy. 74, the tower could be approved by the county's zoning staff without undergoing a public hearing, if it conformed on all points with county law. But it doesn't, and Sprint is asking for two exceptions to the law.

That doesn't sit well with Brechin Park residents. "The county needs to stick to the ordinance," said Tim Shoemake during the neighborhood gathering Sunday.

"There's a reason why the county said two miles and a reason why they said 1,000 feet," added Linda Hedgecock.

Sprint's variance requests will be heard by the county Zoning Board of Appeals Monday, Feb. 26 at 7 p.m.

The company wants to put the tower 380 feet closer to a neighboring home than the 1,000-foot distance required by the law, and wants it 1.1 miles away from another tower on Rockaway Road. The law requires a two-mile separation.

The home that is 620 feet from the tower site belongs to Nancy Meyer, who said she is thinking of hiring a lawyer.

"They're saying it's not going to be harmful," said Ginger Sack, who organized the meeting. "They are saying the county's standards are so limiting as to cause [cell phones not to work in the area]," she added.

"That's not true, because I have Sprint and I can use my phone here just fine," said one neighbor. Two others spoke up to say their Sprint phones are working as well.

Residents circulated petitions among themselves, and plan to get in touch with their neighbors at the Chimneys and Mill Pond Manor subdivisions in attempts to rally further opposition.

They're also considering a series of letters to leaders and members of New Hope Baptist, hoping to convince the church not to lease its property for the tower. "A lot of the church members don't even know about this," said Sack.

Area residents aren't new to fighting city hall. They recently lost a battle to convince the County Commission not to rezone property at Hwy. 74 and Redwine Road for a shopping center.

"We need to keep at it," Sack told her neighbors.

This is the second tower controversy to hit south Fayette in recent weeks. County commissioners last month turned down a rezoning request for a BellSouth Mobility tower on Harp Road after protests by nearby residents.

A spokesman for New Hope Baptist said the church originally considered leasing land for the tower because of the need for better cell phone service in the area. "When we were approached by Sprint, we saw it as a way for us to provide a community service," he said.

"If the community doesn't want it, that's fine with us," he said.

A spokesman for Sprint could not be reached for comment.