Navigating federal rules can be difficult enough, but when state rules and local municipalities disagree, getting a tower built can be a real challenge. The Highland News-Sun has documented the showdown between the state of Florida, which approves right-of-way access to cell phone companies, and local jurisdictions which impose moratoriums to delay construction.
So far, Highlands County has managed to extend the construction deadline three times, citing various studies and potential violations. After waiting 18 months, the telecoms are ready to move forward. “We don’t necessarily want them there, but we can’t deny them, is what the state is telling is,” County Engineer Clinton Howerton, Jr. said. Howerton has been a driving force for the continued moratoriums, researching city codes, perceived health issues, aesthetic concerns and comparative costs in an effort to stall construction.
Other politicians are more accepting of proposed new towers. “[Commissioner] Don Elwell is a perfect example,” Commission Vice Chair Jim Brooks told the News-Sun, in reference to Elwell’s frequent online usage, “More so than I do, ‘cause [sic] I’m ‘old school.’ Our citizens want the ability to do this. By denying putting the poles up, we’re denying them this.”
Neighboring communities like Avon Park and Winter Park have been addressing the same issues and the cell phone companies have worked with them to minimize the visual impact. Of a 75-foot tower in Avon Park, even Howerton conceded that, “…they’re not that bad.”
October 29, 2018
