Planning commission recommends denial of new Verizon tower proposal after neighbors object to proximity

The Fort Scott Planning Commission voted 4–1 to recommend denial of a conditional-use application by Verizon to place a 184-foot communication tower on the Judy property at 2317 Maple Road (Case No. 1049).

Curtis Holland, attorney for Verizon, told the commission the company had moved the proposed location to the northwest corner of the Judy parcel after the prior application was denied. "We moved it as far north from the Merriman property as possible," Holland said, and staff confirmed the new site sits roughly 286 feet from the Merriman property and would therefore clear the city’s stated setback requirement (tower height plus 50 feet would be 234 feet). Holland also described other site distances: roughly 53 feet from the north property line…