ENGLEWOOD, Fla. The Charlotte County Board of Zoning Appeals approved a one hundred sixty nine foot cell tower on property shared by Sonrise Baptist Church and the future Boys and Girls Club at 11050 Willmington Blvd., Englewood, a decision that drew mixed reactions from surrounding neighborhoods.
The church sought a special zoning exemption to allow the tower, which is intended to strengthen cell service in an area that experienced widespread outages after Hurricane Ian. County planning staff noted that limited commercial land in the immediate area contributed to the church property being selected.
Several residents raised concerns during public comment, including the tower’s impact on property values, its visibility from nearby homes and lingering worries about long term health effects. Some neighbors said they preferred a shorter structure or placement on commercial land farther from residential streets.
Despite objections from the neighborhood, the board approved the request, allowing the project to move forward at the Willmington Boulevard site.
