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Board approves 199‑foot monopole for Tag Towers/Verizon to fill local coverage gaps
Summary
The Board approved a conditional use for a 199‑foot monopole tower proposed by Tag Towers with Verizon as an anchor tenant, citing demonstrated coverage gaps and the rural character of the site. Nearby residents expressed visual concerns; the applicant provided propagation studies and photo simulations.
Monroe County’s Board of Zoning Appeals approved a conditional‑use application allowing Tag Towers to construct a 199‑foot monopole and associated equipment pad on a 29‑acre rural parcel near South Gore Road. Planning staff reviewed the submission and recommended approval, saying the location was rural, the proposed tower would fill coverage gaps identified by the carrier and RF engineers, and no practical co‑location options existed within an acceptable distance (the nearest existing tower was roughly 2.8 miles away).
Applicant representatives presented network propagation maps showing expanded coverage and photo simulations illustrating the tower’s visibility from public vantage points. The petitioner also supplied engineering documentation, a fall‑zone analysis, a property owner lease, and a proposed access and utility easement. A nearby resident testified in opposition citing visual impacts, property values and seasonal visibility; the Board debated visual tradeoffs but concluded the community gains in communications and emergency‑service coverage outweighed the visual concerns and approved the conditional use unanimously.
Approval is conditioned on the normal site‑plan and federal (FAA/FCC) compliance requirements; the petitioners remain responsible for site plan review, required landscaping buffer yards, fall‑zone certification and compliance with any federal permits prior to construction.
