Albemarle commission recommends some cell tower changes, but not all

Albemarle County:

“Albemarle officials consider changes to the approval process for communications towers in the county, some residents are asking that key protections be maintained.

‘Right now, you’re being asked to rule on a decision that will make it easier to place cell towers in established neighborhoods and if you agree to these changes it will have a significant impact on Key West in particular,’ said Bob Toplin, who lives in the Key West neighborhood.

Toplin’s comments came during a recent public hearing before the Planning Commission. Staff wanted input on six distinct changes to the ordinance that governs how and where cell towers can be built. In recent years, industry officials have been asking the county to streamline the approval process so more towers can be erected to satisfy growing demand for mobile data services.”

~Writes Sean Tubbs of Charlottesville Tomorrow

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Carroll to extend natural gas lines

Carroll County:

“The Carroll County Industrial Authority (IDA) agreed at its meeting May 5 to extend the natural gas distribution system to Water and Center streets in Hillsville to pick up more customers. Andy Jackson made the motion to approve the extension, with the project cost not to exceed $30,000. The vote was unanimous.

It was noted that a lot of the expansion work would be handled by Carroll County employees. Earl Hagee, natural gas pipeline and utility specialist, told the IDA that 10 customers are now hooked to the system and that he was receiving calls daily from potential customers. Hagee said Mohawk is the largest customer, using about five million cubic feet a month.

Some of the other customers include the Carroll County Governmental Complex, Carroll County High School, and Classic Creations in the Carroll County Industrial Park. The new STEM Agriculture Lab under construction at the high school will also be hooked to the system after it’s completed.”

~Writes Larry Chambers, Carroll County public info

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Broadband authority wants to add connections more quickly

Nelson County:

“The Nelson County Broadband Authority is considering ways to escalate the speed of installations on and demand for the county’s network. According to a report provided by Baylor Fooks, of Blue Ridge InternetWorks, to the authority at its April 8 meeting, construction for each project is averaging more than 60 days.

 

‘This is a major obstacle to success and a source of a lot of frustration from customers,’ he said.

According to Fooks, installation for all customers in the Paul’s Creek area took six months to complete, and the recent installation at North Branch School took several months, as well. ‘There is no way to get accurate progress information from the contractor,’ Fooks said.”

~Writes Katherine Lacaze of the Nelson County Times

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Firehouse, new citizens group compete for Manassas water tower

City of Manassas:

“The Manassas City Council voted this week to give the city’s 100-year-old water tower a six-month lease on life. After the waiting period, the council will discuss again whether to demolish the locally iconic blue tower, which says ‘Welcome to Manassas’ to motorists approaching the city’s historic center but requires costly upkeep and plays only a small part in the city’s modern water system.

Anticipating an upcoming need for costly repairs, the Water and Sewer Department has sought permission to tear down the tower, which processes only a tiny fraction of the city’s water but costs an estimated $10,000 per year to operate. The Architectural Review Board contested the utility’s request, and it is now up to the council to determine whether the 1914 structure is worth saving for its historic merit. Residents have sent letters and started a 600-member Facebook group in an effort to convince the council of the tower’s significance to their city.

Now, Stephen Hersch, who has led the citizen effort, says that the group is moving beyond Facebook posts. He is leading an effort to incorporate a nonprofit organization that would purchase the tower from the city.”

~Writes Julie Zauzmer of the Washington Post

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Supervisors discuss options for utilities district

Caroline County:

“The Caroline Pines subdivision will eventually need to upgrade its aging water line. The question remains—how will they pay for it? The Board of Supervisors discussed options at its April 8 meeting and will explore the matter further in future work sessions.

Caroline Pines is already set up as a utility service district. This allows the board to increase the real estate tax rate on residences within the service district. The board can also establish a separate water user rate for the district’s customers. The goal in either case would be to recover the costs of repairing and replacing the utilities infrastructure.

Currently, the residents of Caroline Pines pay an extra $46.67 per month on their water bills, and this additional charge goes toward paying off the county’s availability fee—not toward any future repairs. The board had approved a discounted availability fee of $2,800 per customer for the community, which Caroline Pines residents are paying over a five-year period. The more than 350 customers are roughly two years into that arrangement. The county’s current availability fee is about $8,000 per customer.”

~ Writes The Caroline Press

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Board of Supervisors tables tower decision

Greene County:

“Greene County Supervisors have delayed a vote on a request to construct a controversial communications tower on Dyke Road. At its regular board meeting on April 8, the Greene County Board of Supervisors deferred until May 13 the vote on a request to construct the AT&T communications tower.

The decision came after supervisors listened to 15 people on both sides of the issue speak for 45 minutes and then asked questions of their own. ‘Did y’all have a second best choice?’ Supervisor Bill Martin inquired before asking fellow supervisors to defer the vote. The board voted unanimously to table the motion.

Preston Lloyd, attorney at Williams Mullen, told supervisors that AT&T officials chose the Dyke Road location because the site seemed to fit all the criteria mapped out in both AT&T’s regulations and the county’s ordinances.”

~Writes Kane Kashouty of the Greene County Record

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Cell tower proposed off Tide Mill Lane

City of Hampton:

“The City Council will soon act on AT&T's request to build a 145-foot-tall cellular tower in a Riverdale Christmas tree farm on Tide Mill Lane. The proposal is facing opposition from some area residents who see the tower and the technology attached to it as an eyesore in a residential neighborhood.

The Planning Commission unanimously agreed April 3 to recommend the tower at 57 Tide Mill Lane be approved. The Riverdale Regional Civic Association and city planning staff have also backed the request. City staff directs cell tower proposals to areas where fewer residents are affected by the infrastructure.

In 2011, community opposition forced the company to pull its application to build a 120-foot-tell tower at the Elks Lodge, 95 Tide Mill Lane. In 2009, the phone carrier had also submitted and subsequently removed its application for a tower at Burbank Elementary School.

The Riverdale Regional Civic Association opposed both previous proposals. On April 3, the group president Andy Bigelow said the latest site is the best location for the tower. A date has not yet been set for the City Council to act on the proposal.”

~Writes the Daily Press

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