Judges sides with county in tower dispute

A U.S. District judge has ruled Manatee County officials did not violate the law by prohibiting the construction of a telecommunications tower on River Club Golf Course property.

U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Kovachevich on Jan. 3 issued a summary judgment siding with the county in a lawsuit filed by Vertex Development, which had applied to build a 150-foot camouflaged tower on behalf of T-Mobile.

The decision comes more than a year after Manatee County commissioners voted 6-1 against the tower proposal. Following the decision, Vertex filed a lawsuit against the county on Dec. 31, 2009.

Contact Pam Eubanks at [email protected].