Divine Word Radio/Pensacola Battles City Over Tower Permit

Tower Trouble

DIVINE WORD COMMUNICATIONS Religion WDWR-A-W277CC (DIVINE WORD RADIO)/PENSACOLA, FL has been issued a cease-and-desist letter by the city of PENSACOLA to stop its construction of a new tower next to a storm basin pond, reports the PENSACOLA NEWS-JOURNAL.  

The city has leased the land for the antenna since 1973, but when the station decided to build a new 350-foot tower on the property, after a permit was issued last THURSDAY, the city then issued the C&D order. The paper says that the city did not respond to a request for comment asking why the order was issued despite the permit being issued days earlier, but the NORTH HILL PRESERVATION ASSOCIATION, a neighborhood group, had protested the permit because it believes the pond should be expanded for flood control.

WDWR Pres. GENE CHURCH told the paper that he hasn't received the C&D but that moving the tower would be cost-prohibitive, may require the AM station to power down at night, and may lead to shutting down the station.

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