Commissioners approve ground lease framework for proposed cell tower with attorney revisions; planning approvals still required

The Spalding County Board of Commissioners approved a ground lease with Towercom VC LLC as a first step toward placing a cellular tower at 1843 North Hill Street Extension, but the lease language changes requested by the county attorney must be agreed by the applicant and the tower still requires planning commission and special‑exception approvals.

The county attorney told the board that the tower lease was not originally drafted for a government lessor and that changes were needed to indemnification and other provisions to avoid exposing the county to gratuity or inappropriate risk. Staff said those edits were included and that approval could proceed with the county attorney’s changes, but the tower company must accept the revisions. The chair’s motion to approve the ground‑lease framework passed by a 3–0 voice vote.

The presenters and the board noted that this vote was only the county’s step to enter a lease; the company must still pursue land‑use approvals through the planning commission and special‑exception process before a tower could be constructed.