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Residents object to proposed 125‑ft monopole near Silver Springs; commission recommends approval
Summary
Neighbors raised visibility, notice and health concerns about a proposed 125‑foot monopole near Silver Springs; the Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously recommended approval with a setback waiver tied to adjacent county utility property.
The Marion County Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval of a special‑use permit for a 125‑foot monopole telecommunications tower near Silver Springs after public comment from nearby residents who said notice and potential impacts were not adequately addressed.
Growth Services staff presented site plans showing the tower would sit within an 80‑by‑80‑foot leased compound inside a ~64‑acre parent parcel and summarized propagation maps showing improved in‑building and roadway coverage on State Road 40. Staff noted a setback nonconformity where a county‑owned utility parcel reduced the separation from residences; staff recommended a waiver tied to the parcel’s public‑utility use and a condition package addressing driveway improvements and buffering.
Attorney James Hartley for the applicant said carriers including T‑Mobile would be providers on the pole and emphasized the heavily wooded location and engineering measures to minimize visibility. Opponents, including Vicky Angel and Veronica Houdegi, told commissioners they were worried about noise, long‑term enforcement of promises and potential health effects; Houdegi cited studies and asked for larger setbacks. Neighbors also sought clearer notice timing and a balloon test to verify visibility.
Commissioners asked staff and applicant about FAA/ FCC oversight and the need for lighting; staff said the FAA did not require tower lighting at that location and FCC rules govern RF emissions. Commissioner Andy Bonner moved to recommend approval with staff conditions and the motion passed unanimously.
Staff added a county‑engineer condition for a paved commercial driveway connection and other site requirements. The county commission will receive the case with the staff‑recommended conditions for final action at the scheduled hearing.
