Wednesday, January 15, 2003
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Wednesday, January 15, 2003 |
Commission rejects tower hike proposalBy JOHN THOMPSON
The Fayette County Commission last week said no to a request to increase the height of a cellphone tower. Lee Wright had asked the board to let him raise the height on a tower from 170 feet to 188 feet on his property at 249 Chappell Rd. to allow for better communication capabilities for the southside of the county. Wright runs his own business and said phone problems plague his business once he gets near his home. By increasing the size of his tower, Wright said the board could stop a proliferation of towers that could spring up to better serve phone users on the southside. Wright had several neighbors who attended the hearing and supported the move, while three residents stood in opposition to the plan. Nancy Hubbard, who lives on Lynn Drive, spoke for the opposition. "Most of us have been in the area for 30 years. Why can't they put a tower around Lake Horton?" she asked. Commissioner A.G. VanLandingham said he could not support the request because the county's staff had worked extremely hard on the tower ordinance and did not want to see it weakened. Chairman Greg Dunn agreed the staff had worked hard on the ordinance, but explained the staff recommended raising the height of the tower. "I don't see 18 feet as a big deal," Dunn said. County attorney Bill McNally told the board the county was in the process of getting its five towers built for the new 911 system that should come online in the next 18 months. The attorney added the towers should be finished within 90 days, and companies would then have an opportunity to locate on the tower sites. When it came time for the vote, VanLandingham and Commissioner Linda Wells voted against extending the height, while Dunn and Commissioner Herb Frady supported the motion. Since the vote ended in a tie, the request was denied.
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