County approves permit for cell tower between Newberry and High Springs

Plans for a  cell tower to be built between Newberry and High Springs were approved back in July, and now a permit has been granted.

 

Alachua County granted a permit for a 199-foot cell tower for lessee Verizon to be erected at the Argos Cement East location at the corner of NW 234th Street and NW 50th Lane.

 

“This one should (fingers-crossed) eliminate the drops between us and High Springs as well as us and Alachua,” Newberry Mayor Jordan Marlowe posted on his Facebook page. That will make three new towers in 2020!”

 

Kevin Mangan, Public Information Officer for High Springs, agrees with Marlowe. 

 

 

According to the approved plans, the 189-foot monopole will house Verizon’s antennas at the top and will have a space for at least two more future antennas.

 

Joel DeCoursey, City Manager of High Springs, sees the new tower as a step in the right direction for two growing communities.

 

“Technology is ever flowing and changing. Any opportunity we can take as a community to embrace growth and improve communication is beneficial.” 

 

On Oct. 13th, the permit applicant Argos Cement, LLC was notified through K2 Engineering, Inc. that a construction permit was issued. 

 

Click here to see the location.

 

In 2017 former Gov. Rick Scott approved a law that forced communities to open their right of ways and utility poles to 5G technology.

 

Last year, Florida Gov. Ron Desantis furthered the policy by signing SB 1000 into law. That bill stops local governments from creating or enforcing regulations on communications services by, “Prohibiting a local government from instituting, ‘either expressly or de facto, a moratorium or other mechanism that would prohibit or delay’ permits for collocation of small wireless facilities or related poles.”