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Charlotte County approves Verizon 195-foot monopole on Barnesville Highway
Summary
The Board of Supervisors approved a conditional use permit for a 195-foot Verizon monopole on a 52-acre parcel along Barnesville Highway after staff and applicant presentations, a 9–0 planning commission recommendation, and public comment raising visual and siting concerns.
The Charlotte County Board of Supervisors voted to approve a conditional use permit allowing Verizon to build a 195-foot self-support monopole telecommunications tower on a roughly 10,000-square-foot lease area within a 52-acre parcel on Barnesville Highway.
Staff presentation noted the application (tax parcel 98856) met setback requirements, complied with local zoning criteria and the comprehensive plan, and included six recommended conditions addressing federal, state and local regulation compliance, construction specifications and a two-year commencement window (with limited administrative extensions). The planning commission recommended approval by a 9–0 vote. Counsel for the applicant, Lisa Murphy, told the board the tower would be built for Verizon but is designed to accommodate three additional carriers, and that the facility will meet FAA and FCC standards.
Several nearby property owners urged denial during the public-comment period, citing visual impacts and compatibility with rural character. Dr. Randall Sussig described the tower as an “eyesore,” Stephen Bush said Leyland cypress screening would not screen a 195-foot structure and urged denial, and Dennis Weston told the board the site was wrong for his family’s homestead. In response, the planning-liaison supervisor said the proposed site fills a persistent coverage gap on Highway 15 and that dozens of constituents had requested service improvements.
After discussion that balanced public-visibility concerns with stated communications and emergency-service benefits, a supervisor made a motion to approve the 2232 finding and the conditional use permit; the motion was seconded and carried on a voice vote. The board’s approval included the conditions recommended by staff.
