Cell phone tower's rejection stands

August 02, 2000

Cell phone tower's rejection stands

By SCOTT BUTKI / Staff Writer

American Tower Corp. of Millersville, Md., has decided not to appeal a rejection of its request to erect a 190-foot telephone communications tower in Rohrersville, a company attorney said Wednesday.

"We weighted the costs and benefits and decided not to appeal," attorney Patrick Welsh said. "It wasn't cost effective."

American Tower received the Washington County Board of Zoning Appeals' written decision rejecting the proposal in mid-July. The company had 30 days to decide whether to appeal the decision to Circuit Court.

The company has not notified the county of its decision, Welsh said.

American Tower does not have any plans at present to pursue the construction of towers at any site in Washington County, Welsh said.

Sen. Donald Munson, R-Washington, said he was pleased by American Tower's decision.

"I think it was a wise decision and I applaud them for that decision," he said.

The company had planned to rent space on the tower to Dobson Cellular One and Nextel Communication, Welsh has said.

Welsh told the Board of Zoning Appeals the proposed location at 4614 Locust Grove Road, near the Appalachian Trail, was the best available site within the area and a tower there would improve the coverage of the two companies along the Md. 67 corridor, he said.

At the June 21 meeting, Board of Zoning Appeals members said they agreed with some opponents that American Tower did not demonstrate that it had considered all other available sites. Board members also noted that nobody spoke in favor of the site except the tower company at a June 7 public hearing.

Munson and Delegate Chris Shank, R-Washington, the Harpers Ferry Conservancy and some local residents spoke against the tower proposal, saying the tower would be a visual blight on a bad site, near both the Appalachian Trail and South Mountain Battlefield.

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