Opposition is already in high

gear concerning a proposed cell phone tower for south Fayette, with a

public hearing almost three weeks away.

Homeowners in Brechin Park

subdivision met Sunday to rally opposition to the tower, proposed by Sprint

Communications for a site on the grounds of New Hope Baptist Church's

south campus on Ga. Highway 74 just south of Peachtree City.

Since the tower site is near

Hwy. 74, the tower could be approved by the county's zoning staff without

undergoing a public hearing, if it conformed on all points with county

law. But it doesn't, and Sprint is asking for two exceptions to the law.

That doesn't sit well with

Brechin Park residents. "The county needs to stick to the ordinance,"

said Tim Shoemake during the neighborhood gathering Sunday.

"There's a reason why

the county said two miles and a reason why they said 1,000 feet,"

added Linda Hedgecock.

Sprint's variance requests

will be heard by the county Zoning Board of Appeals Monday, Feb. 26 at

7 p.m.

The company wants to put the

tower 380 feet closer to a neighboring home than the 1,000-foot distance

required by the law, and wants it 1.1 miles away from another tower on

Rockaway Road. The law requires a two-mile separation.

The home that is 620 feet from

the tower site belongs to Nancy Meyer, who said she is thinking of hiring

a lawyer.

"They're saying it's not

going to be harmful," said Ginger Sack, who organized the meeting.

"They are saying the county's standards are so limiting as to cause

[cell phones not to work in the area]," she added.

"That's not true, because

I have Sprint and I can use my phone here just fine," said one neighbor.

Two others spoke up to say their Sprint phones are working as well.

Residents circulated petitions

among themselves, and plan to get in touch with their neighbors at the

Chimneys and Mill Pond Manor subdivisions in attempts to rally further

opposition.

They're also considering a

series of letters to leaders and members of New Hope Baptist, hoping to

convince the church not to lease its property for the tower. "A lot

of the church members don't even know about this," said Sack.

Area residents aren't new to

fighting city hall. They recently lost a battle to convince the County

Commission not to rezone property at Hwy. 74 and Redwine Road for a shopping

center.

"We need to keep at it,"

Sack told her neighbors.

This is the second tower controversy

to hit south Fayette in recent weeks. County commissioners last month

turned down a rezoning request for a BellSouth Mobility tower on Harp

Road after protests by nearby residents.

A spokesman for New Hope Baptist

said the church originally considered leasing land for the tower because

of the need for better cell phone service in the area. "When we were

approached by Sprint, we saw it as a way for us to provide a community

service," he said.

"If the community doesn't

want it, that's fine with us," he said.

A spokesman for Sprint could

not be reached for comment.