The Sept. 16 Putnam County Commission meeting opened with a Planning and Zoning hearing on a request to build a new 255-foot cell tower on land owned by 83-year-old BJ Weems, whose family has been on the property at 1103 Oconee Springs Road for nearly a century.
The conditional use request, filed on behalf of APC Towers and T-Mobile, drew both opposition and heartfelt support before commissioners voted to approve the project. A request for a similar tower to be built within the next few months alongside Twin Bridges Road had been approved by county commissioners late in August.
Representing the applicant, Dale Lee of Kimley-Horn, an engineering, planning, and design firm in Atlanta, described the tower as “pretty cut and dry,” emphasizing compliance with county codes. He said the structure would occupy a 100-by-100-foot lease area, surrounded by a fenced and landscaped perimeter.
Opposition primarily came from attorney Taylor Carter, who represented nearby landowner Gary Young. Carter claimed the tower would “alter the landscape” and “be noticeable from almost every angle” after a balloon test demonstrated its height above the tree line. He argued that county ordinances favor placing towers in commercial zones, rather than in agricultural or residential areas.
Carter also suggested the proposed cell tower posed potential harm to pollinators, referencing studies that suggest electromagnetic emissions can disorient bees and reduce populations — an acute issue, he said, for Young’s beekeeping and honey production.
Carter wrapped up by suggesting sufficient cell coverage already exists for the Oconee Springs area, too.
However, several community members at the meeting disagreed, saying cell service was so poor in the area that they feared for their safety if they became a victim of crime, suffered an injury, or faced a serious fire.
Weems herself told commissioners that she retains a landline for each of these potential emergencies simply because her cell service remains too unreliable for emergency calls.
“Our little part of Putnam County seems to have always been behind the technology,” Weems told the commissioners.
She also noted that the financial advantage of the tower’s lease income could help her remain in her home.
“I would be thankful for the service that a cell tower would bring me," she said.
Her son, Hassel Weems, conceded he shared concerns about affecting wildlife in the area, but considered the cellular coverage gap a more significant issue.
Neighbor Bill Vargo agreed, saying his Verizon service near Oconee Springs Park frequently “goes in and out.”
The board ultimately sided with Weems.
“We’ve got a resident here wanting to do with her land what she wants to, that’s been in the family for generations,” said District 4 Commissioner Jeff Wooten, who represents the address in question. “I just don’t think it’s right to tell her she can’t do that."
After hearing that Putnam County P&Z staff recommended the tower’s construction, commissioners unanimously approved the motion, 4–0, with no added conditions. Construction is expected to begin later this year, with the tower anticipated to be operational by next spring.