A cell tower nearby? Some residents say no

Darlington County citizen John Smithey at a hearing Monday regarding a proposed cell tower on Society Hill Road. Photo by Samantha Lyles

By Samantha Lyles, Staff Writer, slyles@newsandpress.net

At a special hearing Monday, citizens and business representatives got their say on the future of a cell tower planned for construction in the Mont Clare community.

The tower in question, a 195-foot communications structure proposed by American Tower, would be located at 1631 Society Hill Road, about 2,000 feet north of the intersection with Greenfield Road. After the Darlington County Planning Commission approved the tower earlier this year, some residents appealed the decision and took their concerns to Darlington County Council.

During citizens’ comments at council’s April 1 meeting, residents Tonya Flowers, Diane Gamble Smith and John Smithey said they worried about possible health problems and property depreciation if the tower is built too close to their homes. Council opted to convene a hearing on the matter and appointed retired judge John Milling as hearing officer.

At this May 20 hearing, Milling heard comments from both parties.

Tower opponent Smithey said his home is located about 450 feet from the proposed site, and he asked that the tower be relocated further from his home.

Smithey expressed concern that the tower might negatively impact his property values, and he noted that there are no long term studies on the health risks of living near cellular communications towers. He said that his wife suffers from insomnia and they are concerned that the tower’s proximity could worsen her condition.

Opponent Flowers said that she and her husband live less than 200 feet from Smithey’s home.

She said they did not receive notice about the planned tower until two weeks before the final approval hearing.

Flowers explained that her husband, a pastor, has numerous health issues (including bullet fragments near his heart and spine) and she worries that the tower could cause him harm. She said that she reached out to the FCC and formally objected to the tower’s location.

Attorney Johnathan Yates, representing American Tower, said the Society Hill Road tower location initially earned planning commission approved in 2014 for AT&T. Those permits lapsed, however, and T-Mobile restarted the approval process last year. The project secured land on 160 acres of farm property owner by Lionel and Michael Benton, found a location that optimized signal reach, and set about researching procedures.Yates said that the first thing his firm does when seeking approval for a new tower is to “look at the rule book” and ensure that their plans meet all local and federal requirements.

“I feel that we did meet all the rules,” said Yates, displaying a “voluminous” application packet.

He discussed the necessity for cell signal coverage in both urban and rural areas, and noted that in Charleston County, over 90 percent of all 911 calls come from wireless phones.

“Wireless is infrastructure,” Yates said, claiming it has become as necessary as power, water, or sewer.
Citizen Skip Bailey also spoke in favor of the tower.

“Boy, I’m glad I’m not on the planning commission or the county council,” said Bailey. “I worry about things that I don’t understand, but the technology has moved on.”

Bailey said that he has researched the health impacts of cell towers and could find nothing showing that these structures harm persons living near them. He agreed that worries over declining property values are valid, and offered sympathy for anyone who feels compelled to relocate. Bailey noted that the cell phone has become a staple of modern life, with users relying on them to stay in touch, document their lives, and even maintain their health (as his friend William Jeffords does) through synching medical devices and monitors with phone apps.

Bailey said he hoped a compromise could be reached, perhaps relocating the tower a little further away
Milling explained that the county planning commission has uniform regulations that apply to all communications towers, covering things like height restriction, setbacks, and access for emergency personnel. Federal regulations also apply to these towers, including FAA approval for flight paths.

He also noted that Darlington County lacks any comprehensive zoning laws, so there is little County Council could do to leverage any compromises from businesses that have met all existing laws and codes.

“I don’t see myself as having the authority to act against an ordinance the county has passed,” said Milling, adding that if more restrictions or details are needed, those would have to be added by County Council.

Milling said he would take everyone’s statements into consideration and write a recommendation for County Council, which could inform their actions at their June 3 regular meeting.

Author: Stephan Drew

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