[November 12, 2009] BRIEF: Board says county should reject proposed River Club cell tower Tweet MANATEE, Nov 12, 2009 (The Bradenton Herald - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- River Club residents won an early victory Thursday in their fight against a proposed cell tower within their golf course. The Manatee County Planning Commission recommended that county commissioners deny Vertex Development LLC's request to install a 150-foot tower disguised as a flagpole near the clubhouse. The vote was 4-2, with planning board Chairman Richard Bedford and members Steve Belack, Mary Sheppard and Marilyn Stasica forming the majority. The board's newest members, George Mendez and Timothy Rhoades, supported the company's request while member David Wick was absent. River Club residents argued the proposed tower was incompatible with the surrounding residential area, and was not allowed under River Club's development approvals. Vertex officials said the tower was needed to close a gap in cellular phone coverage. They also argued that the county's tower ordinance allows towers in residential areas if no other place is more suitable. The planning board's recommendation now goes to county commissioners, who are expected to consider it Dec. 3. Read Friday's Bradenton Herald for the complete story. To see more of The Bradenton Herald or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.bradenton.com. Copyright (c) 2009, The Bradenton Herald, Fla. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]