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Putnam County zoning board approves 195‑foot communication tower with 11 conditions
Summary
The Putnam County Zoning Board of Adjustment approved Special Use Permit 26‑00007 for a communication tower on a 3.36‑acre parcel near State Road 19, voting 4‑0 to grant the permit with conditions including a 150% surety bond for dismantling costs and night‑vision‑compatible lighting required by the U.S. Navy.
The Putnam County Zoning Board of Adjustment voted 4‑0 to approve Special Use Permit 26‑00007 to allow a communication tower on a 3.36‑acre parcel at 2932 S. State Road 19 in Palatka.
Planning staff member Ethan Thompson told the board the application meets the standards set out in the Putnam County Land Development Code and that the tower is intended to fill a coverage gap identified for T‑Mobile. “Staff finds that the criteria has been met,” Thompson said during his presentation.
The permit authorizes a tower described in staff materials as 195 feet tall with a 5‑foot lightning rod; staff and the board capped the structure at no more than 200 feet total. The compound footprint was described as a 10,000‑square‑foot leased area; staff said the site is largely undeveloped, in Flood Zone X, and has no apparent wetlands. An aerial and elevation plans shown to the board indicate a certified fall radius and a compound layout; staff noted only minor structures (an RC track and a raised platform) are partially within the fall zone.
The board attached 11 conditions to the approval. Conditions reported by staff include: Development Review Committee (DRC) review and approval prior to construction; a limit of 200 feet total height; night‑vision‑compatible lighting required by the U.S. Navy; maintenance of applicable county, state and federal licenses; placement of the tower and related appurtenances entirely within the AG‑zoned portion of the parcel; submission of a surety bond payable to the Board of County Commissioners equal to 150% of the estimated dismantling cost; a recorded easement granting Putnam County access to the tower site for removal if necessary; written permission from record owners to allow county or county agent access for demolition if violations occur; county opportunity to co‑locate (not at the highest position); and submission of a structural engineering report every 10 years.
Aaron Garnett, an attorney for the applicant, said the applicant reduced the tower height after working with the Navy. “We worked with the Navy, and we reduced the tower height, and that’s how we arrived at the height where we’re at now,” Garnett said, and asked that his communications with the Navy be entered into the record.
Staff told the board the nearest active tower at the time of submittal was approximately 6.3 miles away, and that one inactive tower in a different market would be about three miles away if active. Staff said periodic technician visits are expected and no measurable traffic impacts are anticipated. The DRC reviewed the plans and recommended the project could proceed if the special use permit was approved and outstanding comments were addressed.
Chair opened the hearing for public comment and no one from the audience spoke for or against the application. A board member moved to approve the permit citing Section 45‑1083 of the Putnam County Land Development Code; the motion was seconded and carried unanimously, with the Chair authorized to sign the final order. Chair noted that any appeal must be filed in circuit court within 30 days.
The board’s action allows the applicant to pursue required permits and complete outstanding DRC conditions before construction.
