Politics & Government

Roswell OKs Fouts Road Radio Tower Site

Residents of the nearby Twelvestones neighborhood could not persuade the City Council to delay a vote Wednesday.

Despite emphatic pleas from citizens to hold off taking a vote, the Roswell City Council on Wednesday approved a controversial public safety radio tower site on Fouts Road.

After more than three hours of presentations, heated public comment and discussion, the council voted 4-3 to accept the staff recommendation to locate the tower on city-owned property at East Roswell Park. 


Residents of the nearby Twelvestones neighborhood, who have been vocally opposed to the Fouts site, begged the council to further study a set of optional sites first presented at Wednesday's council meeting. 

"This is not an easy decision, but it's one that has to be made," said Becky Wynn, the council's public safety liaison. 

She stipulated in her motion that the tower, which will be built as part of the $16 million North Fulton Regional Radio System Authority, not exceed a height of 350 feet.

While that's 50 feet lower than the original proposal, it's still far too high for Twelvestones residents, who won a delay last month.

But they were upset that the council wouldn't take more time to examine several other new options.

"I'm very disappointed," said Twelvestones resident Sylvia Morrow-Nocon. "This has been a huge rush. They have not explored an option until today."

Voting in favor of the Fouts site were Wynn and fellow council members Nancy Diamond and Rich Dippolito and Mayor Jere Wood. 

Council member Kent Igleheart, whose motion to defer the vote failed, voted against the Fouts site, and was joined by Betty Price and Jerry Orlans. 

Resident Susan D'Angelo pointed out that the Fouts tower would be 50 feet taller than the Statue of Liberty and would violate the city's building height restrictions. 

Opponents also complained that Roswell was bearing the brunt of the new network, building three towers and funding nearly a third of the expense of a system that includes Alpharetta, Milton and Sandy Springs.

One of the options included a network of three 200-foot-high towers on Fouts, Hightower and Bethany roads. Another called for 200-foot-high towers at Fouts and Hightower and a 350-foot-high tower on Lackey Road.

But according to a staff presentation, the alternatives analyzed by Commdex, the new North Fulton consortium's telecom consultant, presented coverage and microwave blockage issues.

When Wood asked for more clarification about the Fouts/Hightower/Bethany proposal, Police Chief Rusty Grant reminded him it was an option "which I do not recommend at all."

Before the vote, Twelvestone residents lashed out in occasionally scathing remarks. Joyce Cross said the Fouts tower would be a "gigantic eyesore," and told Wood and the council members that "if you vote yes to this blight, you are undeserving" of serving the public. 

D'Angelo, who said her home in Twelvestones is closest to the Fouts site, said it is "amazing that the night you're going to vote we're finally getting some information."

She added: "Most of you have lacked concern and wisdom in this matter. Tonight will be a great test to see if you're working for the residents of Roswell or not."

But right before the vote, Diamond countered by saying that the council has spent "weeks and months on this" and has undertaken the process because it is necessary to enhance public safety.

"This isn't something we just rushed into because we love spending money and upsetting our citizens," she aid.




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