Flagler planning board recommends denial of proposed 190‑ft Verizon tower near Hunter Ridge

The Flagler County Planning Board voted unanimously June 9 to recommend denial to the Board of County Commissioners of a special‑use application for a 190‑foot monopole telecommunications tower at 2730 Airport Road in the Hunter Ridge planned unit development.

Planner Simone Kenny told the board the proposal (project 2026030052) would place a 190‑foot monopole on a roughly 10.5‑acre storage/RV parking parcel and that the applicants had identified no towers within one mile and three existing towers within two miles. Applicant representative Harold Timmons said Verizon’s engineering shows capacity and in‑building coverage shortfalls that the new site would address and that the structure would allow collocation for up to four carriers.

Several nearby residents urged denial during an extended public comment period. “I do not believe there’s a requirement for it,” said Perry Carell, whose home is within the notified radius, citing independent consumer coverage maps and urging use of existing transmission structures to the north. Other neighbors presented a letter from a state‑certified appraiser and argued the tower would harm neighborhood character and home values; one speaker read an appraisal opinion warning that towers can affect marketability of nearby properties.

Timmons replied that consumer‑facing coverage maps are approximations and that carrier propagation and capacity models — not public marketing maps — form the engineering justification. He also said alternative structures such as 500‑kV transmission lines pose technical risks and limit operator access and maintenance.

Board members repeatedly asked whether the applicant had demonstrated the proposed site was the only feasible option. Several members concluded the record did not exclude other potentially less intrusive locations and said public opposition and property‑value concerns weighed against the application. One member cited the PUD’s industrial entitlement but noted that special‑use approval carries extra compatibility considerations. Citing criterion 8 (reasonable alternatives), the board moved to recommend denial.

The motion to recommend denial carried on a unanimous roll call. The same night the board also moved to recommend denial of the related PUD site development plan amendment that would add the tower use to the Hunter Ridge Storage PUD.

What happens next: The planning board’s recommendation will be forwarded to the Flagler County Board of County Commissioners, which will make the final decision. The applicant may present additional engineering evidence or alternative site evaluations to the county commission.

Speakers and sources: Planner Simone Kenny presented the staff report; applicant testimony was delivered by Harold Timmons for Anthemet, Inc. and Verizon Wireless. Public commenters included Perry Carell, Mered Gilotty, Bobby Calendo and James Gelat. The board’s denial cited insufficient demonstration that alternatives had been exhausted.

The planning board’s written recommendation and the full staff report will be part of the record forwarded to the Board of County Commissioners.