Verizon Gets Go Ahead  

Verizon Wireless now has the go ahead from the Newton County Board of Commissioners to construct a new tower in Covington, Georgia. Last week, the Commissioners approved a conditional-use permit so the project can move forward. At the May 26 meeting, Post 3 Commissioner Nancy Schulz, in whose district the tower will be located, asked that alternative sites be considered. However, Attorney Jenna Lee of Troutman Sanders told the Commissioners that five alternative sites has been considered, but they were unsuitable or a taller tower would have to be constructed. Previously, the Zoning Board of Appeals approved a setback of 50.1 feet from the property lines, even though usually it has to be half the height of the structure. Verizon explained that this particular tower would be design to fall at one-third of the tower. The Newton Citizen reported, “Lee told commissioners that a detailed safety analysis of the design had been conducted and that there were two known cases in which similar towers had failed. In one case, the tower was hit by a tornado, she said, and in the other workmen had accidentally set the tower on fire.”