Zoning request for Verizon's South Heart tower OK'd

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Better wireless service could soon be on its way to South Heart with the unanimous approval of a rezoning change by the Stark County Planning and Zoning Board on Thursday to allow for the construction of a 269-foot self-support tower.

Rob Viera, representative for Verizon, told the board that the need for the tower is because “cellphone service is poor in the area.”

The self-support communications towers provide necessary height to wireless infrastructure projects and are proposed to go up at 122nd Avenue Southwest in South Heart.

Commissioner Russ Hoff, one of the eight members of the zoning board who approved the request to go before the County Commission on Tuesday, asked Viera as if there were any road issues.

Viera said Verizon will need to extend the road approach to the site of the tower, but that the approach is already there and the company is aware that it has to do the upgrades.

Verizon Wireless regional public relations manager Karen Smith previously said, “The purpose of the tower is to provide improved in-building coverage in the town of South Heart as well as coverage along Interstate 94. The tower will support our voice and data network, including our new 4G Long Term Evolution high-speed broadband network.”

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