One thing is clear in Clover, the former South Carolina mill town is mired in controversy surrounding a proposed tower. TowerCom still has full approval to begin construction of a 180-foot structure adjacent to where a dilapidated, unused former textile mill now stands. On Tuesday, the town’s zoning Board agreed to hear tower opponents’ concerns again, but not as much about the tower – which has already been approved and has a green light to proceed construction – but to address whether the board’s 3-2 January vote for the tower should be re-cast.
As Inside Towers reported on February 5, the Zoning Board lost a member last month after Clover officials realized that a town employee, William Vaughn, was a member of the board in violation of state law. Vaughn voted in favor of allowing construction of the tower. While opponents of the tower have called for a revote, TowerCom has already gotten the nod to go forward. As one source familiar with the case told Inside Towers, Vaughn did nothing wrong and is not accused of wrongdoing, “the town staff simply made a mistake” in not realizing Vaughn was a member of the Zoning Board and did not replace him when he became a town employee nearly five years ago.
One citizen, Edward Dees, who lives about 40 yards from where the tower is proposed to be erected, has filed suit hoping to stop construction. Heraldonlin.com reported yesterday Clover officials on Friday filed court papers asking that the lawsuit filed to block construction of the tower be dismissed because the Zoning Board never issued a written ruling after the January zoning meeting.
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