Potential new Chipley cellphone tower being reviewed by county officials

A potential new 160-foot cellphone tower on Worley Road is under consideration by officials in Washington County.

The matter came before the Washington County Planning Commission on April 1. Nearby neighbors of the proposed property site raised concerns about the possible new tower, including wanting it to be further back from their property.

The Planning Commission, which makes decision recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC), decided to table the matter for 30 days until their next meeting on May 6.

Commission Chairman John Gay said they don’t want to send anything to the BOCC that “we haven’t approved without conditions” and wasn’t “signed, sealed, and ready for delivery.”

“We’ve had this before and it worked out very well,” Planning Commissioner Roger Hagan said regarding moving other projects. “If there’s a compromise here that makes it less odious, we might can address that.”

Planning Commissioner Michelle Cook said she agreed on moving the tower.

A representative for the tower’s property owners said they will talk to the property owners to get approval on moving the tower’s location.

“It’s located in the central portion of the county, north central,” County Planner Dawn McDonald said. “I think it was the most thorough application we’ve ever received for a cell tower.”

Hagan also said the tower was “one of the best engineered presentations that we’ve seen as it relates to towers.”

The property is 11.8 acres. The tower will not have lights on it.