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Jurors approve AT&T communication tower variance at 1085 Highway 662 despite a resident objection
Summary
After hearing from AT&T counsel and a resident who opposed the tower over health concerns, the engineering and planning committee voted to grant a setback variance and a tower permit; building-plan review will be handled by South Central Planning and Development Commission.
The Assumption Parish Engineering and Grants Committee on Jan. 22 granted a setback variance and approved a communication‑tower permit for a proposed AT&T tower at 1085 Highway 662 (Mount Lewis), after a firm representing AT&T explained the site constraints and the committee considered a resident’s objection.
What the jury approved: the committee approved (1) a variance to allow a tower closer than the 600‑foot setback from neighboring residences, (2) an allowance for South Central Planning and Development Commission to conduct the commercial building‑permit plan review in lieu of the parish engineer for this site, and (3) the application for the communication tower submitted by Baker Donelson on AT&T’s behalf.
Why it mattered: counsel for AT&T said parcels in the area are narrow and wetlands constrain where a tower can be sited; the company said it had notified nearby property owners and received mostly no objections but recorded one written objection from a resident who said her husband has a pacemaker and requested denial. AT&T’s counsel, Laura Carlisle of Baker Donelson, said she did not find technical literature linking proximity to a tower with pacemaker interference and noted that federal telecommunications law limits local authorities from effectively prohibiting wireless service providers.
Committee members reviewed the applicant’s materials and a legal memorandum about federal preemption and public-safety considerations. The committee voted, on motions recorded in the public minutes, to approve the variance and the permit and to route building-plan review through South Central Planning so that plan and code compliance will be checked at that stage; the application was approved on a voice vote.
What’s next: South Central Planning will perform the plan review and collect applicable permit fees; pending completion of that review and issuance of any required state or federal approvals, AT&T may begin permit-level work at the site.
Attribution note: a resident, Doreen Leonard, submitted a written objection raising a health concern tied to her husband’s pacemaker; the committee considered the objection and voted to approve the permit application.
