Habersham County, Georgia’s golf course community, The Orchard, is the proposed site for a new cell tower. However, as Now Habersham reports, a number of residents have spoken up to object to a potential cell tower neighbor. The county owns a tract of land within the upscale community and has said that it intends to build a 190-foot radio tower to help communicate with emergency responders.
Leading the charge against the cell tower proposal was Richard Rumble, a resident of the gated community. He argued with the Habersham County Commission on the placement of the tower, while acknowledging the need for better connectivity. “I am in support of this system overall; we need it. I understand the position this board is in. The current system is aging and on its way out. You can’t repair it, and that’s a public safety hazard,” stated Rumble. “But putting this tower in a residential neighborhood, and subsequent for the other towers near residences, and I believe there is one near a school. We need to evaluate that. The county is so rural that there is no reason for a single tower to be within 1,500 feet of a residential area, a school, or daycare.”
He, and others, said that they felt that information on cell tower safety was out of date. Fellow Orchard resident, David Perry, agreed with Rumble and added that he felt their concerns were not taken seriously by some local residents who have dismissed their complaints as unimportant because they come from “a bunch of rich folks.”
Habersham County Commission Chair Ty Akins reminded those in attendance that the covenant governing The Orchard does not extend to the county. A decommissioned water tank currently occupies the site, which pre-dates the residential community. Building a 911 cell tower would be a matter of using the county owned property for public use and would not require any special permissions for the county to use the site, despite the fact that it is within the boundaries of The Orchard. The county is not obligated to submit its plans to the Architectural Review Board or Orchard governing board, he concluded.
Former emergency services worker, Jim Smith, spoke up in favor of the county’s plan. “I don’t know much about cell towers, but I know they have to be strategically placed,” he said. “It might be an inconvenience. It might be an eyesore, but when you dial 911 and the sheriff’s office shows up….” he paused, adding, “I am in favor of the cell tower only from a testimony for many, many years of serving in public safety and knowing the importance of being able to communicate, being able to help the citizens in a way that is life-saving and property saving.”
Although the commission indicated that it considered other locations, it determined that the water tower site would be the best location for the new cell tower. As Akins noted in a written statement, “It is obvious that HC (Habersham County) has the right to construct the tower without condemnation. This parcel is uniquely situated in that (a) HC owns the lot in question; (b) the warranty deed in favor of HC was for public use and (c) HC has used the lot for public purposes for more than 20 years. Consequently, HC will proceed to construct the necessary tower on parcel 20 for the public health, safety and welfare of the citizens of Habersham County.”
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