Wednesday, May 16, 2001
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Wednesday, May 16, 2001 |
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Cell tower companies seeking variances By DAVE
HAMRICK
Communications tower companies hoping to locate towers in Fayette County will ask for exceptions to the rules next week. The county Zoning Board of Appeals will hear two requests for variances during its meeting Monday at 7 p.m. in the public meeting room at the County Administrative Complex. SprintCom Inc. wants to build a tower on Ga. Highway 92 south, and is asking the board to allow the tower 128 feet from neighboring property to the rear, instead of 200 feet as the law requires. The company also is asking for a 134-foot variance so the tower can be only 66 feet from other next door property. If approved, the monopole tower will be 190 feet tall. Powertel is asking for three exceptions to the rules, including a 1.37-mile reduction of the required distance from another tower, on McDonough Road. Towers are required to be two miles apart, but Powertel hopes to build its tower .63 miles from another. The firm also wants a 160-foot variance to reduce the side yard setback from 200 feet 40 feet, and a 15-foot variance to reduce the front yard setback to 185 feet. Its proposed monopole tower would be 180 feet tall. Cell phone and tower companies have repeatedly complained that Fayette's law governing communications towers is too restrictive. The ordinance was approved more than a year ago, and after tower companies complained about the restrictions, county commissioners last year modified the law to allow exceptions if approved by the appropriate body. Before that, no exceptions were allowed.
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