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Bryan County approves rezoning for 20.7-acre parcel and clears 215-foot cell tower with conditions
Summary
County commissioners approved rezoning of a 20.7-acre parcel and granted a conditional-use permit for a 215-foot telecommunications tower in the Waterway subdivision, imposing conditions that require utility plans and easement approval before construction permits are issued.
Bryan County commissioners voted Nov. 12 to rezone a 20.7-acre tract (partial parcel 063-073) from RR-2.5 to RR-1 and to approve a conditional-use permit for a 215-foot monopole telecommunications tower in the Waterway subdivision.
Planning staff told the board the rezoning is consistent with the county comprehensive plan and that the change would not increase the number of buildable lots. Commissioner 3 moved to approve the map amendment and the motion carried after a voice vote.
The board also approved a conditional-use permit for Next Tower Development Group 2 LLC to place the tower on an 80-by-80-foot leased compound at the end of Resource Way. Planning staff and the Planning Commission recommended approval subject to two conditions: the applicant must provide plans showing off-site underground conduits and the location of incoming telecommunications utilities and coordinate those plans with the county prior to construction-permit approval; and the county must approve the proposed 30-foot ingress/egress/fiber utility easement before a permit is issued.
Applicant representative Jonathan Yates told the board he submitted a petition he said included 468 signatures supporting the tower and said T-Mobile and Verizon have committed to locate equipment on the monopole. "I had in my possession... a petition signed by 468 people saying, we want the tower," Yates said. He and the project team noted the site sits adjacent to a county well site and Fire Station 10, is heavily wooded and has FAA and Georgia Historic Preservation approvals.
Joel Russo, an on-site project representative, outlined the timeline: if permits proceed as expected, construction could take about 45–60 days, with carriers spending another four to six weeks on integration. "If everything goes well tonight, we will then apply... and hopefully we can get done by the end of the year," Russo said.
The board approved both the rezoning and the tower permit on voice votes. The county's conditions mean construction permits will not be issued until the required utility plans and easement approvals are submitted and accepted.
Next steps include the applicant submitting the required utility plans and a finalized easement for county review; county staff will not issue a construction permit until both conditions are satisfied.
