NEWTON COUNTY – The Newton County Board of Commissioners unanimously denied a conditional use permit for a new T-Mobile cell tower to be built off Highway 81 at its April 7 meeting.

According to a presentation from Ianna Ramos, zoning administrator for Newton County, the plan proposed a 195-foot monopole tower on an 80-by-80-foot leased site accessed by a new gravel driveway off Highway 81.

The plan met all zoning and setback requirements, with the tower positioned well within property boundaries and at least about 200 feet from nearby homes. The facility would have included ground equipment enclosed by a six-foot fence, along with surrounding trees and landscaping to help screen the site from view.

Prior to coming before the board, the Newton County Planning Commission reviewed the request and recommended denial. The commission cited citizen concerns about health issues, visual and environmental impacts, property values, proximity to residential areas and Livingston Elementary School, as well as the availability of more appropriate locations.

Andy Rotenstreich, representing both Gulfsouth Towers and T-Mobile, spoke in favor of the petition. He said T-Mobile was seeking to improve cell service in an area currently lacking a tower within a 2.2-mile radius. The site was chosen after considering multiple factors, including landowner willingness, buildability, and compliance with local ordinances, and he said the monopole represents the least intrusive design option available.

Rotenstreich also noted that only one property owner in the search area agreed to host the tower and emphasized that similar projects have not been shown to reduce nearby property values.

“The whole reason that we’re here is to get better cell phone coverage into this area of the county,” Rotenstreich said.

Several members of the community spoke in opposition. Representatives of the Homeowners Association of Lincoln Estates said no one in the area was consulted on the matter.

“Although the gentleman stated that he had all these reports and everything like that, they failed to say that they spoke to any of the residents or to the school or to the daycare,” a representative said.

Another citizen shared personal experiences of successfully making emergency calls without relying on a T-Mobile tower and said they did not appreciate not being made aware of the proposal earlier in the process.

“It is not about safety. It’s not about the six-week-old child in that daycare center that’s going to have 24/7 radiation exposure. It’s about T-Mobile getting a cut,” she said.

Jason White expressed a similar sentiment after having to make emergency calls for his own family. White also raised concerns about potential health effects from tower radiation and impacts on property values.

Others, including Marius Grimes, a parent of a Livingston Elementary School student, expressed concern for the area’s residents.

“Most of the residents that are over there, there are quite a few that are retired and coming from somewhere else,” Grimes said. “They spent everything they have to get this house for somebody to now come and put something in that can affect them.”

District 2 Commissioner Desmond Mason addressed constituents’ concerns, saying the board is working on putting “the right things in the right places.” He also noted there is a tower off Highway 212 that suffices the citizens’ needs.

After Mason made the motion to deny, the board voted 5-0 to move the motion forward.