School board hears Verizon proposal for monopole on middle-school property; agrees to seek public input

Verizon Wireless representatives described a proposal on Wednesday for a 195-foot monopole and fenced ground compound on Amherst Middle School property and the School Board agreed in principle to seek public comment and further information before any lease is signed.

The presentation was led by Laurie Schweller, an attorney with Williams Mullen representing Verizon, and Nathan Holland of G.D. Insights, who described a typical agreement and the company’s process. Schweller said typical Verizon leases begin with a five-year term and include multiple renewal options, adding that a site built for Verizon would generally be engineered to allow other wireless providers to colocate on the same pole.

“The Federal Communications Commission does regulate RF emissions from all wireless facilities,” Schweller told the board. “These are non‑ionizing emissions. They don’t affect the cellular structure of the human body ... towers like this typically emit 1,000 times less than what that maximum is.”

Schweller showed maps and photographs placing the proposed compound roughly 800–850 feet from the school building in a wooded area of the middle-school parcel; she and Holland said the company would use an existing service entrance and attempt to route power and fiber along the tree line to minimize impact on surfaced areas.

Board members asked about coverage area, permitting and community notice. Holland said a tower’s range “is typically 1½ to 2 miles” but depends on terrain, trees and other obstructions. Schweller said because the school property is zoned P‑1 under the Amherst County code, the site is classified as a “tier 1” location for wireless facilities but would still require a special‑use permit from the county’s planning commission and Board of Supervisors.

Members pressed whether the school board would have options if neighbors objected after a lease was signed. Schweller and school staff said terms can be negotiated and that the board would have an opportunity to require public engagement before finalizing any lease. “There is no commitment you have to make tonight,” Schweller told the board; she described the presentation as a request for the board’s permission to pursue engineering and permitting steps and to prepare lease paperwork.

After questions from board members including Ms. Thompson, Ms. Saunders and Mr. Childress, Chair Chris Terry asked for the board’s consensus on proceeding with outreach, engineering and permitting steps. The board indicated agreement to move forward with additional study and planned public comment before executing any agreement, while several members said they would not be prepared to sign a lease until the full terms were reviewed and the community had been notified.

Next steps described by Verizon and school staff include preparing engineering documents, filing a special‑use permit application with the county, notifying adjacent property owners and holding a community meeting prior to any final lease vote by the board.