In a unanimous 5–0 vote Tuesday, the St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners upheld the Planning and Zoning Agency’s December denial of a proposed 170‑foot cell tower in St. Augustine Shores, effectively ending the project’s path forward.
Commissioner Clay Murphy made the motion to affirm the PZA decision, siding with neighbors who opposed the tower on aesthetic and quality‑of‑life grounds.
The appeal had sought to overturn the earlier rejection and allow the tower, planned on a church‑owned parcel along Shores Boulevard, to be built as critical communications infrastructure.
Throughout both the PZA meeting and Tuesday’s hearing, residents argued the structure would be “visually intrusive” and incompatible with the established residential character of St. Augustine Shores, a neighborhood developed in the 1970s.
Speakers said the tower would be visible from homes, streets, and green spaces, and could harm property values, marketability and views.
Several also questioned whether a genuine service gap had been documented, with some saying they already had adequate cell service.
Concerns raised included potential effects on nearby nesting birds, safety during hurricane conditions, and broader impacts on the community’s quiet, family‑focused identity.
Representing the applicant, Brad Wester argued county code supported granting a special‑use permit for the tower and that “compatibility” does not mean identical surrounding land uses.
Wester told commissioners the site met technical criteria and that the structure would help fill a documented void in wireless coverage, especially for in‑home and in‑car service.
The application noted the tower would sit more than 250 feet from the nearest home and could accommodate multiple wireless carriers, though only one had currently committed.
“Let me just take the advice of a good friend of mine,” he said. “And when the going gets rough, you have to go with your heart.”
A focal point of Tuesday’s hearing was testimony from real estate expert Ron Moody, whom opponents brought forward as a valuation witness.
Moody identified himself as a longtime Florida real estate appraiser and broker, with more than five decades of experience.
He told commissioners the proposed tower was not compatible with the neighborhood and would have a negative impact on nearby property values.
Commissioners acknowledged Moody’s credentials but also noted that his testimony lacked actual comparable sales data.
Still, several said elements of his testimony, combined with the community outcry, provided sufficient grounds to uphold the PZA’s position.
“Let me just take the advice of a good friend of mine,” Murphy said before making the motion. “When the going gets rough, you have to go with your heart.”
