Tower height a problem near airport; 2 existing towers in question

The Peachtree City Council has denied a request to build a cell tower in the city’s industrial park because it is located too close to Falcon Field.

And two more cell towers that are closer to the airport may ultimately have to come down because they, too, are within a zone encircling the airport that limits the height of any structure.

The current towers are located on Fulton Court, north of the airport, and at Tiernan and Patrylo, just to the east of the airport. They were allowed to be built extending into the zone because then-airport manager John Crosby gave permission for both projects to extend into the zone, City Planner David Rast told the City Council last week.

City Attorney Ted Meeker said the city has begun taking action to have the towers brought into compliance with the ordinance.

Airport Aviation Director John Crosby said the regulation also is enforced by the FAA to protect the minimum height requirements planes can use for landing at the airport.

Tim Powers, who applied for the variance to build a cell tower on Dividend Drive near Dividend Court, said it would be far shorter than the actual minimum height aircraft must maintain after leaving the airport. The tower couldn’t be shortened because it was already in a relatively low area, he said.

Powers said the city originally planned years ago to have all its utilities located in the industrial park along the train tracks. The change to that practice was arbitrary because somebody decided they didn’t want cell phone towers, he added.