Circleville City Council voted unanimously against moving forward on lease agreement discussions with AT&T for the land needed for a new cell tower.
During Tuesday’s meeting, council members voiced their concerns against the tower’s location next to the police station and municipal court building on East Franklin Street.
However, council members said if the tower were to be located elsewhere, they might be more inclined to support AT&T’s future plans to boost cell coverage for the growing city.
AT&T has pursued the project by acquiring the necessary planning and zoning permits. By voting against the tower’s placement, AT&T may decide to pursue other locations to place the tower.
“We could certainly listen if there are other locations the city is interested in,” said Brad Laucher, who spoke on behalf of AT&T, but conceded that the company is interested in the present location on East Franklin Street.
Mayor Michelle Blanton pointed out that the city owns the property where the proposed tower was to be placed. If AT&T were to locate the tower in another spot, the city might not own that property “so this conversation would not be had in this arena anyway.”
Councilman Tom Duvall said he supports plans for a tower, but not at that location. He voiced his concern about placing a tower property that may one day be needed for an addition to the Circleville Municipal Building, as a second Municipal Court may soon be required due to an increased number of cases.
Duvall also spoke about how he’s learned from AT&T’s presentations about the tower that the boost is not needed immediately but will be needed as the city continues to grow so there is still time to choose a better spot.
Duvall said it’s unclear if proximity to such a tower might expose people to radiation that proves anything one way or the other — but because studies are unclear — then this is not a decision maker though an influencer for him, meaning that he’d rather place a tower in an empty lot rather than one close to people.
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