Coweta commissioners maintained they had no choice last week but to follow a court order to approve a special use permit by T-Mobile to construct a 150-foot cell phone tower on Minix Road and another on Orren’s Pond Road. Commissioners heard concerns and objections by adjacent residents but voted unanimously to approve the permit.

The court order issued Sept. 30 by U.S. District Court Judge Jack Camp took sway over the commission’s previous denials of the request.

“I feel like we’ve given substantial evidence and have given alternative sites,” area resident Craig Roberts told commissioners of his attempts to forestall the location of the tower so close to homes.

Residents expressing concerns cited the potential for decreased property values and the possible negative health impact from having the cell phone tower located on the site.

The Minix Road site off Fischer Road north of Ga. Highway 34 totals 11.02 acres. The tower footprint of 1.62 acres will be located approximately 950 feet off Minix Road.

The Orren’s Pond Road site is located east of Roscoe Road near Windsor Estates. The property totals 109 acres, of which 1.62 acres will house the 150-foot tower.

As with the Minix Road project, neighbors from the Orren’s Road area expressed their concerns with the tower’s location, including the area within the property on which the tower will be placed.

Both special use permits were approved unanimously.

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