Cell tower irks officials in Dunedin

Surprised by one built on State Road 580, commissioners want control over where future towers can be built.

By DEBORAH O'NEIL

© St. Petersburg Times, published December 6, 1999

DUNEDIN -- Smack in the center of this image-conscious city, right on the side of the road that is the gateway to Dunedin's picturesque downtown, a shiny, 180-foot cellular communications tower has sprung up in recent weeks. Almost no one realized it was coming.

But they sure are talking about it now.

As city commissioners crane their necks to see to the top of this monumental structure on State Road 580, they ask: How did this happen in "Delightful Dunedin?"

"What a monstrosity," said Mayor Tom Anderson, who said he knew nothing about the approval of the tower in August by the city's Board of Adjustment and Appeal. He learned about the tower when he saw it one morning while returning from Countryside Mall.

Although the tower was several blocks away between County Road 1 and Lake Haven Road, Anderson said he could see it from Belcher Road on 580.

"It completely flies in the face of the citywide beautification program; there's no question about it," Anderson said. "It's virtually in the heart of the city. It raises the question: How many more are we going to have?"

That worry has prompted City Commissioner Janet Henderson to call for a thorough review of the city's ordinances that govern telecommunications towers.

She and other commissioners say the commission should have purview over the approval of such immense structures. Commissioners said they want to designate where towers can be built in the future.

"I would hope if we could have looked at it, we would have been able to come up with a more amenable place for the necessary evil," said Commissioner Deborah Kynes of the tower.

As the city codes now read, commissioners have no say in the process unless the tower is being proposed on public land -- which is what happened in August 1998, when commissioners approved a tower for Highlander Park.

On private land, towers can be built with no hearings if the structures meet height requirements.

"We so carefully considered the tower on city land, but if a tower is on private land, it never goes before the commission," Henderson said. "Perhaps we should have more control. We should look at the ordinance and strengthen it."

If a developer wants to build a tower taller than the height limits, the approval is left to the city's Board of Adjustment and Appeal, a citizens volunteer group that makes binding decisions for the city.

That is what happened with the tower on State Road 580. American Infoage LLC of Clearwater, a company that has built towers elsewhere in the county, had to appear before the board to get permission for the 180-foot tower because city codes limit towers at that location to 110 feet. The tower will hold up to five carriers.

"I don't think towers are unattractive," said Miller Cooper, president of American Infoage. "There's a magnificent service being provided by some of the biggest and best companies in the country."

Commissioner Cecil Englebert said commissioners need to review all ordinances because even a 110-foot tower would have been unacceptable on State Road 580.

"We should not have towers on Main Street or in residential areas," Englebert said. "It's something we need to talk about."

City Attorney John Hubbard said it is well within the commission's power to decide certain approvals must come before the body. The commission could set an absolute height limit on towers. Hubbard said it is time for the city to discuss its policies regarding communications towers to be sure developers are directed to co-locate towers when possible, disguise them and put them in remote locations.

"Obviously we're closing the barn door after the horse got out," Hubbard said. "We need to revisit it and decide if there's some policy issues that need to be retained by the City Commission.

"I'm sure the board did what they thought was right, but some decisions ought to be in the hands of elected officials and not quasi-judicial boards."

Board of Adjustment and Appeal chairwoman Susie Rodenbeck said the city has to allow the towers to be built somewhere so the citizens can have telecommunication services. She said the board was persuaded by the argument that one big tower is better than many smaller ones.

Rodenbeck said the tower also got her vote because it is in a commercial area on a busy highway, not in a residential neighborhood. "If the commission feels they should regulate it, I'm all for that," she said. "I felt that given the authority we have as a board, we made a responsible decision on this."

Commissioners all said they do not want to criticize the board for its decision. Commissioners do, however, want a say in the process.

"This thing was like a ho-hum thing," said Commissioner John Doglione. "I don't think we were alerted. Somebody should have said, "Wait a minute. Time out, guys.' I think we could have stopped it. Now it's a done deal."

Doglione said he was stunned when he saw the tower and said he wants to make sure the city is not setting a precedent. "If (developers) get the feeling that "I can just get into Dunedin city limits and I can just get my tower built,' that's what I'm afraid of," Doglione said.

© St. Petersburg Times. All rights reserved.