St. Mary's County Board of Appeals approves 195-foot Hermanville commercial communications tower

The St. Mary's County Board of Appeals on April 9, 2015 approved a conditional-use application for a 195-foot monopole commercial communications tower proposed for a 14-acre parcel on Hermanville Road in Lexington Park.

The decision comes after a staff presentation and a detailed technical presentation by the applicant showing coverage maps, environmental reviews and site plans. The board’s approval was unanimous (5–0) and included conditions requiring final site-plan approval, a bond or other surety for removal of obsolete facilities, prominent contact information on the site's fence and that no lights or advertising be placed on the tower unless required by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) or county code.

Why it matters: County staff and the applicant said the tower is intended to fill a documented gap in mobile data coverage in the area and to provide capacity for current and future wireless carriers. Applicant materials and testimony said the monopole would support up to five wireless providers; Verizon Wireless and AT&T were identified as committed users. The site sits outside the critical area but adjacent to a riverine floodplain, and the project will require tree clearing only within the limits of disturbance for a 20-foot gravel access road and a fenced compound.

Staff and applicant presentation:…