Sep 26

Sep 26 Verizon tower petition disbanded

The Verizon tower petition has been withdrawn.

In a letter sent to Kinston Planning Director Adam Short, Faulk and Foster Zoning Specialist Jim LaPann stated environmental issues have been revealed in regard to the proposed site for the tower at W. Peyton Avenue.

“Since we are not able to predict the amount of time that our work will take, I have been instructed to withdraw the pending petition that is before the City Council,” LaPann stated. “Verizon Wireless understands that if they intend to pursue permission to construct and operate a cell tower in the future, they will need to make a new application, including an application fee.”

On July 15, representatives from Verizon spoke with the Kinston City Council about a 180-foot tower. A second meeting was slated for Sept. 16, but was pushed to Oct. 21 after the organization planned to make changes, including shortening the initial height and providing a covering for the monopole and antennas.

Short said if Verizon comes back to the Kinston City Council with a proposal, they will listen.

“We’ll process their application just like anyone else,” Short said. “It will be the same protocol — they’ll have to pay another application fee and we’ll go from there if they want to come to us again.”

Several downtown business owners voiced concern about the initial tower, including Brandon Potter, founder of Potter Photography and Design. Potter created an online petition last month, with 389 signatures.

“I wanted to see if I was the only person feeling like it was a bad place for the tower to go,” Potter said. “I’m all for progress — any downtown business merchant is for it — but at this point, it matters how we do it. We’re at a good stage and we’ve invested a lot into the infrastructure, so we have to watch how we progress moving forward.

“I think if all the work and research I put into the petition, if that at least made them look more closely at the construction site and impact on the area environmentally and aesthetically, I’m glad I put the time into it.”