Compromise Green Lights Construction of Verizon Cell Tower in Miss. County

Verizon and Rankin County, Mississippi, reached a compromise over the municipality’s denial of Verizon’s application to build and operate a 200-foot-tall monopole cell tower to fill a significant gap in wireless coverage and capacity in the area, said their joint motion for an order and final judgment Wednesday (docket 3:23-cv-00381) in U.S. District Court for Southern Mississippi in Jackson. The judgment, if approved by the court, “will fully dispose of all claims in this case,” said the motion. The county agreed to “expeditiously issue” Verizon a conditional use permit, plus any approvals necessary, authorizing construction of the tower, and is barring from imposing any penalties against Verizon that would impede progress on the tower, it said. “The parties have considered their positions in this litigation and, to avoid any further expense and risk associated with this case, stipulate to the entry of Judgment and resolution of this case,” it said. Each side will bear its own attorneys’ fees and court costs, it said.