Council defers AT&T tower site plan after staff cites missing consents and engineering details

The Livingston Parish Council voted Jan. 8 to defer consideration of an AT&T site plan and waiver request for a proposed cell tower at Bobby Gill Road near Denham Springs to the Feb. 12 meeting after staff identified missing consents and engineering information.

Chip Lyons, an AT&T representative, said the application was filed prior to recent telecom ordinance changes and that site-acquisition staff had attempted to contact adjoining property owners but had received no responses. Parish planning counsel said the new ordinance allows applicants to avoid waivers by obtaining written consent from landowners within the tower’s fall radius and noted the company also needed to provide detailed engineering certifications required by the updated ordinance.

Council members raised concerns about setback waivers (one of the requests would allow a potential fall radius to extend roughly 90 feet onto an adjoining property) and about precedent if waivers were granted frequently. Planning staff said there is a state statute providing protection to governing bodies that approve such waivers, but counsel recommended the applicant obtain consent letters and provide required engineering documentation before the council acts. The motion to defer passed unanimously so the applicant can address outstanding items and return next month.