Orange County neighborhood fights cellphone tower proposal
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – An east Orange County neighborhood is fighting against a proposal to build a 140-foot communications tower off Lake Underhill Road near Rouse Road.
Residents in the area said they don’t want the tower in their backyards.
Julia Peach and her family moved into their home in the Woodland Lakes neighborhood almost two months ago.
“One of the reasons why we bought in this community was because of the beautiful conservation we have and the privacy we have in the backyard,” Peach said.
But now her backyard sanctuary is in jeopardy.
A developer wants to build a 140-foot communications tower 700 feet away from Peach’s home.
“It’s going to detract from the neighborhood,” she said. “People are going to be less likely to move into the neighborhood.”
The Orange County Board of Commissioners discussed the plans during their meeting Tuesday. County officials said the proposed tower plans meet county regulations.
The developer, Rick Baldocchi with Avcon, Inc., attended the meeting to answer the board’s questions.
The developer also requested a waiver to install the tower closer to a senior living facility that is under construction. It would be about 580 feet away from the residential facility. That doesn’t meet county regulations, which is why the developer needs special permission.
County staff recommended the board approve the waiver request.
“The owner of the facility has provided a letter of no objection to the waiver request,” a county staff member said during the commission meeting.
But Peach and her neighbors, including Lorrie Weatherford, said they don’t want the tower in their backyards. They are concerned their property values will drop and it will disturb their quality of life.
“We want to keep the natural setting and not scar it with a cell tower,” Weatherford said.
The proposed site for the communications tower is in a wooded area. Peach said the tower would be about twice the height of many surrounding trees.
“You will be able to see the cellphone tower from here, from the street. A 140-foot tower is not going to be able to be obscured by large trees,” Peach said.
Orange County Commissioner Jennifer Thompson, who represents the area, made a motion for continuance during the meeting this week and proposed holding a community hearing next month to discuss the project.
“There were just a lot of questions about this and it didn’t trigger a community meeting, but since there are so many questions and it’s so close, I think the applicant owes that to you to answer those questions in advance so that we can have those conversations and we do have enough time to do it,” Thompson said during the meeting.
The developer agreed to the continuance.
“I guess for the record, we concur with staff’s recommendation and we agree to have the continuance and hold the community meeting as requested by Commissioner Thompson,” Baldocchi said during Tuesday’s commission meeting.
News 6 made multiple attempts to reach the developer for comment, but never heard back.
The neighborhood is fighting against the proposal. The community started a petition and contacted an attorney.
Weatherford said they are doing what they can to keep the tower from going up.
“It will be worth it and I hope we get results and the results that we want,” she said.
News 6 also contacted Thompson for additional comment for this story. Her office denied our request for an interview.
No date, time or location has not been set for the community hearing.
Check back for updates on this developing story.