Five new cell towers have been approved for construction in Flagler County, including one in Palm Coast, to serve as the backbone for a revamp of the county’s emergency communications system, reported Flaglerlive.com. The Flagler County Commission gave the “go ahead” at a December 4 meeting.
Flagler County Planning Director Adam Mengel said, “These sites in concert are going to be part of that public safety agency telecommunication system that we have and that’s coming on line. It will give us better signal strength, better penetration, critical communication for our public safety workers on a daily basis,” as well as for first responders in an emergency, he said.
Two of the towers will rise 350 feet, which exceeds county regulations, with the other three towers ranging from 190 feet to 250 feet tall. All five towers will be built on county-owned property.
According to Flaglerlive.com, no residents offered public comment at the meeting, but an emailed comment pointed to health concerns of cell towers. Jane Gentile-Youd, a Plantation Bay resident, wrote, “Cell towers, communication towers are necessary for emergencies, but not above our health. Were any medical personnel consulted regarding the location of these proposed” structures, which could harm residents, she wondered.
The cost of the communications system was not discussed. In 2004, the county financed its existing system with a $11.4 million bond. It is expected the price of the new system will exceed that amount.
The commission’s approval of the five new towers comes two years after the county announced a plan to contract with NexTower to erect three towers between 320 and 350 feet. One of the towers, slated for Flagler Beach, was loudly opposed by residents.
December 19, 2017
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