Residents urge county to revisit planning decision on proposed 320-foot cell tower

A resident told the Montgomery County commissioners she and neighbors oppose a proposed 320-foot Tillman cell tower sited near Penn Avenue and College Avenue, saying it will lower property values, create night-time flashing lights that illuminate homes, and that the planning-and-zoning review was rushed and improperly conducted.

"It was an invalid county commission meeting. Not county commission, excuse me, planning and zoning meeting," the resident said, arguing the planning-and-zoning hearing lacked trained staff, arrived with packets 15 minutes before the meeting and should be revisited. She cited realtor letters alleging property devaluation and urged the county to develop a tax-rubric or compensation mechanism if the county's actions reduce home values.

County leaders responded that federal telecommunications law limits local regulation: the Chair and counsel explained that conditional-use reviews for telecommunications are constrained by federal rules and the county's legal options are narrow. The counsel told the public the planning-and-zoning commission "followed all regulations and rules on a conditional use permit" and that the commission's decision is final under those rules.

Commissioners said they would examine whether local process or training could be improved and encouraged residents to provide written documentation. The county did not reverse the planning commission's decision at this meeting but recorded the complaint and discussed procedural options for future cases.