Residents blind-sided by Summer Beach cell tower proposal - An opinion

Submitted by Brad Coker

December 7, 2016 10:29 a.m.

Public meeting on cell tower proposal scheduled for Monday, December 12 at 1 p.m.  at The Golf Club of Amelia Island

On November 8, NexTower Development Corporation of Jacksonville and Concert Amelia LLC, owners of the Golf Club of Amelia Island, applied for a variance that would allow them to build a 130-foot cell phone tower on golf course property near Scott Road and Amelia Island Parkway in Summer Beach.

Although the plan has been in the works for at least seven months, local residents were kept in the dark as the application was on a fast track for a December 15 hearing before the Nassau County Conditional Use & Variance Board. “I only found out about it after Thanksgiving” remarked Gus Demertsidis, president of the Ocean Forest Homeowners Association. That hearing has since been delayed to January 26, 2017.

Meanwhile, residents are now mobilizing to fight. “We don’t need the tower” said Jim Mayo, a 22-year resident who lives north of the proposed site. “I have not had a problem with my cell reception for many years”. His statement was echoed by Angie Cornell who lives on the south side of where the tower will stand. “My husband and I have good service, both at home and when we walk our dogs through the neighborhoods along Scott Road”.

Other residents expressed concern about both the visual impact of the tower and how it would affect their property values. “I will have to look at that tower everyday and I have no doubt it is going to reduce the value of my home” said Steven Hayes whose house sits just 100 yards from the planned structure. Hayes’s fears are backed up by a study reported by the National Association of REALTORS®, which found that 94% of active home buyers said they were “less likely” to buy a home close to a cell tower and 79% indicated they would “never” buy one.

Brett Aroneck, a local real estate broker, said that the tower could adversely impact sales of all properties in the Summer Beach area, not just those with the tower in clear sight. According to Aroneck, “When the tower view properties sell, they will be considered comparable sales properties for surrounding homes and ultimately will be considered by appraisers when working on behalf of lending banks and prospective purchasers”.

When contacted to explain their plan and comment on issues raised by residents, ConcertGolf Partners representatives did not respond.

NexTower, however, is holding a public meeting to explain their proposal and to seek comments from local residents. That meeting is scheduled for Monday, December 12 at 1 pm. It will be held at the clubhouse of the Golf Club of Amelia Island. NexTower has indicated the meeting will last for two hours, with the first 30 minutes for their formal presentation and 90 minutes for questions from residents.

Editor's Note: Brad Coker is a 13 year resident of Fernandina Beach. He owns a public policy and government affairs consulting firm based in Washington, DC.