AT&T (NYSE: T) has filed a federal lawsuit against the City of Columbus, OH, accusing officials of illegally blocking the company’s efforts to build a 5G cell tower near the Moore Creek soccer complex, according to the Commercial Dispatch.
The lawsuit, submitted on March 21 in the U.S. District Court for Northern Mississippi, argues the city violated the federal Telecommunications Act of 1996. AT&T is seeking a court order that would override the city’s denial and require officials to issue all necessary permits for the 155-foot monopole tower.
The dispute centers on land leased by AT&T from Lowndes County, located in a highway commercial (C-3) zone where local ordinances explicitly allow cellular towers. Despite that, the Columbus Planning Commission twice recommended against the project, and the City Council ultimately rejected it in a split vote, with Mayor Keith Gaskin casting the tiebreaker.
City officials raised concerns about the tower’s proximity to the Roger Short Soccer Complex and the future Burns Bottom Redevelopment area, citing potential negative impacts on property values and aesthetics. They urged AT&T to either colocate equipment on an existing nearby tower or find an alternative site, the Commercial Dispatch reported.
AT&T’s lawsuit pushes back on those claims, stating it submitted extensive evidence showing that cell towers do not reduce property values. The company argues that the permit denial, based primarily on general aesthetic concerns, violates federal law, particularly because the proposed site complies with zoning regulations.
AT&T alleges the city’s decision lacked “substantial evidence in a written record” and amounted to an effective prohibition of wireless service, both violations of the Telecommunications Act.
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