St. Lucie County commissioners sided with the Harbour Ridge Yacht and Country Club homeowner association’s decision to erect a 124-foot tall telecommunications tower near the gated community’s clubhouse.
The commissioners also advised dozens of homeowners who opposed that site to work with their HOA board to find a better place for the tower, if one exists in the 880-acre property.
All the homeowners agreed a new tower is needed to improve cellular phone service in the relatively isolated area on the eastern end of Becker Road, overlooking the North Fork of the St. Lucie River. “The (site) that we’ve chosen probably has an impact on all members because it’s in the center of the community and you can see it,” said Tim Smith, the HOA president. “You can see it from the local residences.”
But visitors to the clubhouse would not see the tower when pulling their cars into the driveway or dining in the building, Smith said. An email survey of the club’s 1,100 members found 63 percent supported the clubhouse site, Smith said.
But Lee Dobbins, a lawyer representing five Harbour Ridge homeowners, said the clubhouse location affects more homes than a site on Gilson Road the commissioners previously rejected. “It shouldn’t be the will of the majority over a few people who are going to be severely impacted,” Dobbins said. “There are at least two viable alternative sites.”
Several commissioners said, however, they believe it is up to the HOA to pick the tower location. The commissioners voted unanimously on May 14 to approve a zoning variance and a conditional use permit for the telecommunications tower.
Commissioner Chris Dzadovsky said he could relate to dilemma because he once served as an HOA president and his decisions were reversed after his ouster.
“You have the opportunity to go back and talk to your HOA and to establish communication for compromise,” Dzadovsky said. “I would suggest you do that.”
Commission Chairman Linda Bartz agreed with Dzadovsky. “I would have liked to have seen the (HOA) board work harder at coming to a resolution,” Bartz said. “And truly there is always someone that is not happy with the end result. However, we all want to be able to connect with our friends, our loved ones and most important 911, our law enforcement so we have the health and safety first and foremost.”
Commissioner Cathy Townsend called Harbour Ridge “the most beautiful place to live in St. Lucie County.”
“I live in a waterfront community and there is a cellphone tower by my home,” Townsend said. “I personally don’t think that it affected the value of my house.”