[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6502879,"mediaKeyId","5707428-301b3d35f66e89cdf444e1ec2ac5c6ec","parentId",5707428,"title","Planning board denies request to raise concealed wireless facility to 185 feet, citing variance criteria","audioSeconds",693,"startMs",1903000,"endMs",2596000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5707428-301b3d35f66e89cdf444e1ec2ac5c6ec&start=1903&end=2596","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5707428-301b3d35f66e89cdf444e1ec2ac5c6ec/thumbnail_1903000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6502879/Nassau-County/Florida/Planning-board-denies-request-to-raise-concealed-wireless-facility-to-185-feet-citing-variance-criteria","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6502879-c319543e94dd6630f6f8f733bbacc9ab/orig.mp4?Expires=1771000563&Signature=YS0reyGxAtDPQ3o~Kfn52kPJeOxRNEwBLSz8bV6yIWcKgoXuB-6qVvWQBTIrpAakFV7uFQlHS23kpn5TtBQzwkxgaHkF~nUY9Q5QeJIuAUheL-fnEzM4fPodKSEQTqUUvg0Hx7ZgAmUIvME0idIitvbSHQLFXJGZxCKbRFxq4HNgTitO~22NISPyHv-3O~9fQMuq0mhSDEHBGD8P3hxX8Id9XmyZzh5Y0wzxovmcqMUzw8iJW6X3kKFYiYoDrTK8qTXqSQXK0mKaWPmtGc8~UnOckp-VA6WxKotHsohHkhbKGQ-Fiqpoxn4cvw9BVH71Kds8hqhKJ1DDhNpNp5OdzA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Nassau County","date","2025-09-02T17:59:00Z","article","The Nassau County Planning and Zoning Board on Sept. 2 voted to deny a variance (V 20-25-003) seeking to raise the maximum height of a concealed wireless facility from 150 feet to 185 feet in the OR zoning district. The motion to deny, moved by Board member Flick and seconded by Board member Henson, carried by the board.

Staff presentation and recommendation
Stephanie Kaiser of the Planning Department explained this quasi-judicial matter and reviewed the seven variance criteria in LDC §5.05(e)(1–7). Staff concluded the request did not meet the majority of the criteria and recommended denial. Kaiser said a wireless facility meeting the code maximum of 150 feet could be constructed on the property and that the applicant’s need for additional height resulted from technological and equipment constraints rather than a special condition of the land itself.

Applicant argument
Chip Flowers, representing the applicant (Vertical Bridge) and the landowner (Charles and Ruth Fouracre Living Trust), said the extra height would close a gap in coverage along County Road 119 and would avoid the need to build a separate tower to provide service in that corridor. Flowers said AT&T equipment on a nearby SBA site to the east would require the additional elevation to prevent a coverage gap and that the applicants had provided a balloon study and propagation maps intended to show minimal visual impact.

Board discussion and rationale
Board members questioned whether the claimed hardship arose from the land or from equipment needs and discussed precedent and competitive advantage among carriers. Several members emphasized the ordinance’s uniform 150-foot limit and noted that granting a site-specific variance could create an uneven playing field and permit one carrier to gain a permanent advantage by placing higher equipment on a tower. A member cited a past high-profile example of a tower granting advantage to one carrier.

Motion and vote
Board member Flick moved, and Board member Henson seconded, a motion finding that the record did not contain competent and substantial evidence to meet the variance review criteria of LDC §5.05(e)(1–7) and recommending denial of V 20-25-003. The motion carried by recorded voice vote; board members voting in favor of denial included Fending, Henson, Morris, Flick, Brantley and Chair Blue (one member was absent). Staff had previously moved the project documents into the record, including propagation maps and balloon study materials submitted with the application.

Because this was a quasi-judicial hearing, the board’s decision was made on the record and the denial was framed around the lack of a land-based hardship and the county code’s intent to preserve uniform standards for wireless facilities.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Nassau County - Nassau County Planning and Zoning Board","oneSentenceSummary","The Nassau County Planning and Zoning Board denied V 20-25-003, a variance request to increase a concealed wireless facility's maximum height from 150 to 185 feet, after staff recommended denial and board members expressed concern about precedent and equal access among carriers.","taxTitle","Nassau County, Florida","taxId",72832,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6502884,"Nassau County planning board recommends approval of three comprehensive plan amendments",269,1299000,1568000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5707428-301b3d35f66e89cdf444e1ec2ac5c6ec&start=1299&end=1568","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5707428-301b3d35f66e89cdf444e1ec2ac5c6ec/thumbnail_1299000.jpg","/articles/6502884/Nassau-County/Florida/Nassau-County-planning-board-recommends-approval-of-three-comprehensive-plan-amendments","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6502884-5ea875ba9630374ffe56ab890acf356e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771000563&Signature=YxoTVS1ekgOjygFfaNQX-BxU-J0wkNRrDdrJ-BsvljN~DAYTYACshC13Blefe0k-15JLFxrVn~1kopwGj72b7dW6PD7COV3PO3pm7oLcVaDVvk2LbpvvefrAD~GOvQkDI35bC0RnbOvIZjUSI4ua6Rs2DlROzmv7Yh8e3x510AmckbiTRf1YfQTg8bA6xzHBmjqxnSKKaItU-dfHPWjBFoRjq6drBEtH6Ajn-paRHcPW~~6Sqrldki0KXMCwWUYyigwcZozXRb0zmwUT2dH0TAM7R-1ucs-wYCGthlEyxIhr-0CEMidjx1d8fl2WT40AD12pkim~-bvS5qyUDoXRgw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Nassau County Planning and Zoning Board on Sept. 2 recommended approval of three comprehensive plan amendments to correct mismatches between future land-use designations and zoning in Commission District 3.

Planning Director Elizabeth Bach presented all three items for staff, saying each amendment would align future land use with existing or proposed zoning and that water and sewer are available to the sites. Staff recommended approval of each application based on consistency with the comprehensive plan and cited specific plan policies in its findings.

CPA 25-006: First Federal Bank / industrial-to-commercial (0.92 acres)
Elizabeth Bach said CPA 25-006 would change one parcel at the intersection of Chester Road and State Road 200 from an industrial underlying land use to commercial; the parcel is already zoned Commercial Intensive (CI). Bach told the board the site is developed, not in a special flood hazard area, and that required buffers would apply only if redevelopment occurs. Board member Fending moved to recommend approval; board member Henson seconded. The motion carried by voice vote.

CPA 25-007: FKPLTD / medium-density residential and commercial to commercial (approximately 18.37 acres)
Bach said CPA 25-007 would convert a uniquely shaped parcel south of State Road 200 east of U.S. Highway 17 to commercial land use across the site. She noted isolated wetland areas shown on county maps and said required wetland buffers and standard land-development-code screening would apply at site-plan review. Board member Henson moved to recommend approval; board member Morris seconded. The motion carried by voice vote.

CPA 25-010: Yulee Villas Ltd. (Flynn Management) / commercial to high-density residential (approx. 4.12 acres)
Bach described CPA 25-010 as two parcels near the previous application, south of State Road 200 on the east side of U.S. Highway 17, with a proposal to convert part of the site from commercial to high-density residential (HDR). Staff noted a small wetlands area along the U.S. 17 frontage and that required buffers per the land development code would apply. Board member Morris moved to recommend approval; board member Brantley seconded. The motion carried by voice vote.

Board members asked staff clarifying questions about planned-unit-district status, buffer and screening requirements when future land-use categories change, and county options to revisit land-development-code buffering rules during the next code update. Bach said the department will add the buffer-screening issue to a list for future LDC consideration and reiterated that, for currently developed properties, new buffers typically apply only on redevelopment.

There were no public comment cards for any of the three comprehensive plan amendment items. The board closed the public hearings, took the motions described above, and recommended approval for CPA 25-006, CPA 25-007 and CPA 25-010.

Less-critical board business after the votes included scheduling: planners said there were no cases for the board's Sept. 16 meeting and that the next regular meeting with matters on the agenda will be Oct. 7. A board member asked staff to consider a workshop on potential LDC changes; staff advised that proposed code changes should be submitted to the department for routing through the Board of County Commissioners or staff work programs.","At its Sept. 2 meeting, the Nassau County Planning and Zoning Board recommended approval of three comprehensive plan amendments (CPA 25-006, CPA 25-007 and CPA 25-010), each aimed at reconciling future land-use categories with existing or proposed zoning in Commission District 3.","actionData","errors"]

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Planning board denies request to raise concealed wireless facility to 185 feet, citing variance criteria

Nassau County planning board recommends approval of three comprehensive plan amendments