DADE CITY, Florida (PNN) - December 23, 2023 - Parents in Pasco County, Florida, who fought against a Vertex cell tower being placed on the grounds of the Starkey Ranch K-8 School, have come to an alternate arrangement with Wireless Edge. As The Laker/Lutz News reports, Pasco County has initiated a new lease that will put the new stealth monopole cell tower in the maintenance yard of Starkey District Park rather than next to the school.

“By going out and relocating this, we are now 2,348 feet from the nearest school building and 1,400 feet from the nearest housing location. So, we’re much further away from the school,” stated Director of Facilities Management, Andrew Baxter. “The previous location would have allowed the siting to be at approximately 625 feet from the school; and the previous lease would have been with Vertex.”

Under the new arrangement with Wireless Edge, there will be a 27-year lease with four 5-year extensions, similar to what Vertex proposed. The rent with Wireless Edge will be $2,251 per month, with a 2.5% annual increase. A $1,000 per month per sublease feature is also included, along with a bonus of $35,000 for each sublease after the first sublease.

Pasco County Board members expressed relief that this agreement was reached without the fuss that the original plan generated. “It’s great to see that no one’s here, compared to what we had before,” Commissioner Jack Mariano told the The Laker/Lutz News, “1,600 signatures.”

“I got not one email of complaint,” agreed Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey. Starkey also commented that Wireless Edge was able to propose a tower with no jutting antennas, a design that Vertex had told them was not possible, according to The Laker/Lutz News.