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New Location Identified For 300 Foot Cell Tower In Century
January 28, 2021
Earlier this month, the Century Town Council could not reach a consensus on a location to allow a new 300-foot tall cell tower to be built, but now the mayor believes he has found a location that will be agreeable to all involved.
Motions to approve a variance and lease property by the library or the town’s maintenance shop to a tower company both failed to even receive a second during the January 19 council meeting.
Mayor Ben Boutwell tells NorthEscambia.com that he worked with Diamond Towers to find another location that would alleviate council concerns, provide ongoing income for the town and provide much needed improved cellular coverage.
“If our town is going to progress, we need the coverage. I was not going to let that die,” he said.
Monday night, Boutwell will propose a lease with Diamond Towers for an AT&T tower on a small parcel of land in the town’s Anthony Pleasant Park off West Highway 4. It’s small area tucked away essentially at the back of the park.
“It will be a great spot,” Boutwell said. “It will be out of the way on a big area back there that’s never been used. It’s away from residents, surrounded by a wooded area so you would not see the base. It’s not too far from Highway 29 and is still in the area where AT&T needed it.”
Two parcels owned by the town were previously under consideration for the tower site:
- A 0.698 acre lot directly south of the Century Branch Library. The tower would be located less than 50 feet from the library property, which is owned by Escambia County.
- A 0.68 acre area located on the northeast corner of the town’s maintenance building property on Alger Road, just across the railroad tracks from the playground at Showalter Park.
“I would not want a tower in my neighborhood,” council member Sandra McMurray Jackson said of the Alger Road location at the council’s last meeting. “They don’t want it on Alger Road…I’m going to respect those residents.” She said Alger Road residents were concerned about possible ill effects to their health, and she said there would be no changing their minds.
Council President Luis Gomez said January 19 that he did not think the tower belonged along Highway 29, between the library and a commercial building he owns. He said that while he personally does not want it located on Highway 29, it is important to consider that someone might want to locate a business on the property in the future.
“We need cellphone service in Century,” Gomez said. “No one wants to put a business in Century with the stagnant service we have.”
A motion by council member James Smith to locate the tower at the town’s shop on Alger Road and a motion by Jackson to locate it on Highway 29 both failed at the last council meeting to reach a vote due to a lack of seconds.
Diamond Towers had requested a variance to the required 200 foot setback requirement for the tower. At 300 feet, the tower would be about the equivalent of a 30 story building, according to interim City Manager Vernon Prather.
If the council had approved, Diamond Towers would have leased one of the two properties at $1,000 total for one year with an optional extension for one more year at $1,000. Once a tower was constructed, Diamond’s lease would have increased to $1,500 per month for at least five years, with another $500 per month due for additional cellular providers collocated on the tower.
A similar lease option for the Anthony Pleasant Park location is expected to go before the council at their February 1 meeting.
Pictured: The entrance sign at Anthony Pleasant Park in Century. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Comments
18 Responses to “New Location Identified For 300 Foot Cell Tower In Century”
i kept my land line. it is great. always works, shows the robo calls on my caller id on the tv so i can ignore em. it ’s cheap. the cell is convenient but not my first choice.
“Or you could get rid of your cell phone and then you would have a justifiable complaint.”
…but no way to get your complaint out.
With all these people complaining about the tower you would think they all still use land lines. Yes they are unsightly and yes I would not want one in my yard, or adjacent to my property but the truth is we all use or benefit from the towers and they need to go somewhere. So, if you live on a hill, as I do, get used to the idea. I can see three from my front porch and I moved out to avoid this kind of stuff but here I am living in their shadow. Or you could get rid of your cell phone and then you would have a justifiable complaint.
I know nothing of the town or the people, except what I read here. The comments can be eye opening. However, from what I have read about the old administration, I would have to say seeing a Mayor looking out for the people, the town and the future is a solid step forward. These people need someone to represent them that cares more about the “big picture” then the wallet.
Credit where credit is due. Good job, Ben.
Century may have a mayor, now.
So, a new tower suggests that other network providers can put up their own 4g/5g towers on it as well, correct.
CONTEMPLATING
“AT&T has the crappiest coverage there is.”
Whether true or not, the way to improve coverage is more towers.:
Just know AT&T has the crappiest coverage there is.
Mayor Boutwell still has to get this approved by the clown squad. You never know which way they will go, or what excuses they will come up with. This would have already been a done deal if the cell company had identified one of the Councils property’s as the best location for a cell tower. If that were the case, nobody would be worried about the cell signals penetrating their pea brains.
@ Trisha: ” So jump in and help,” the town of Century does not want to change. How can citizens help when meetings are held in private, in violation of the Sunshine Law?
Trisha we are the towns oversight committee.
We insert our thoughts and opinions on many different issues. Some are fairly thoughtful and possibly even helpful but yes mostly we just run our jaws because we are currently still free to do so.
But hopefully the mayor and council members can work together to take some small steps to move Century forward a little.
I really am tired of the bad mouthing on Century. There are problems that all areas have. Instead of running your mouth, why don’t you get off your lazy hind ends and help the town solve the problems. Your comments make you seem “somewhat” intelligent. So jump in and help, that is the right thing to do.
Thank you Mayor Boutwell……very proactive and smart!!! This is how government should work.
“If our town is going to progress, we need the coverage. I was not going to let that die,” he said.
Totally agree … and I hope the Council can get out of it’s own way to help Century move forward.
>Will a new tower here provide a good signal for the Enon/Bay Springs area?
Unfortunately not. It’s too far away.
Will a new tower here provide a good signal for the Enon/Bay Springs area?
we can only hope. with past performances from the group on the council you never know what insane excuse they will come up with.
It is certainly a relief to hear that the radio signals will not invade the brains of this genius Town Council.