Lowndes County approves 260-foot cell tower near Watkins and Rocky Ford Road after contentious public hearing

The Lowndes County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to approve TWR 2025-01, a request to build a 260-foot telecommunications tower near the corner of Watkins and Rocky Ford Road.

County planner JD Dillard told commissioners the proposed tower site sits in an EA (estate agricultural) zoning district inside the rural service area, about 475 feet south of the nearest residence. Dillard said the county—s technical review committee (TRC) found the application consistent with the Unified Land Development Code (ULDC) and the Planning Commission recommended approval 6-0.

Neighbors who spoke during the public hearing urged the commission to deny the site. "If we start allowing massive towers like this in our neighborhoods, it's potentially going to be in everybody's residential neighborhood," said Kim Lindsey, who said she has owned a home at 4364 Watkins Road for 40 years. Michael Petashnik, another nearby resident, cited a Journal of Real Estate and Finance study he said shows property values can decline and argued the site fails multiple ULDC preference points for nonresidential siting, visual impact and colocation.

Supporters, including applicant representative Nathan Brantley of RBW Service Group LLC and property owner Jay Watkins of Camp Rock, said the area suffers from poor cellular service and that federal and environmental reviews found minimal impacts. "We have had problems in the past with ability to access 911 services because of the poor coverage out in this area," Brantley said, noting the applicant submitted an FAA determination of no hazard to air navigation and a NEPA report that concluded no additional environmental assessment was required.

Brantley also said the proposed tower would be available for other providers to colocate, and that the tower inventory in the packet showed the nearest tower with multiple providers is at Wild Adventures, about 3.7 miles away. Supporters described instances where residents and event organizers experienced "SOS" messages and loss of service during large events and emergencies.

Opponents pressed for alternative locations, noting Camp Rock was not contacted earlier as a possible host site and suggesting co-location or other technical options. "We're not against better cell coverage," Lindsey said in rebuttal. "I'm not here saying we don't need better service. I think it's just the wrong location for a lot of reasons." Residents also submitted an expert letter and asked the county to require coverage maps from other carriers.

After public comment, a commissioner moved to accept the tower location as recommended by the Planning Commission; the motion was seconded and carried by unanimous voice vote.

What the county approved was the siting of the 260-foot tower as presented; no construction permit or final engineering approval was described on the record. County staff said the tower will have to meet Lowndes County construction and environmental standards and federal requirements during permitting.

Speakers quoted above and other participants made comments during the public hearing, but no individual recorded roll-call votes were read into the minutes; commissioners approved the motion by voice vote.