Supervisors approve zoning change and permit for 225-foot emergency communications tower at landfill site

Botetourt County supervisors approved changes to the county zoning ordinance to allow more flexible siting rules for telecommunications towers that primarily serve public-safety communications, and subsequently approved a commission permit and a special-exception permit to build a 225-foot emergency-communications tower on county landfill property.

The board first adopted a text amendment to Chapter 25 (telecommunications facilities) that clarifies how height limits and setbacks apply to towers that serve emergency communications. The changes move technical height and setback language into a clearer section of the ordinance and add procedural steps requiring an engineering failure-mode/fall-zone analysis, inspection and maintenance plans, and design features intended to limit projection of debris off the site. If an engineering analysis demonstrates a smaller fall zone than the default setback, the zoning administrator may approve a reduced setback. The change was recommended by the planning commission and adopted by the board after a public hearing.

After adopting the code change, supervisors considered permits for a specific tower on county-owned landfill land in the Amsterdam District (tax map 70–5B). The project proposes a 225-foot, freestanding communications tower within a small fenced compound; the facility is intended to support the county’s emergency communications network. The board first found the plan substantially conforms to the comprehensive plan (a commission permit), then granted the special-exception permit with conditions that require substantial conformance to the conceptual site plan, compliance with noise standards, and adherence to all local, state and federal requirements.

Why it matters: The text amendment creates a regulatory path that better accommodates towers built primarily for public safety — enabling the county to site facilities where they are technically required for coverage while maintaining engineering and public-safety protections. The landfill tower was approved as part of the county’s broader emergency-communications infrastructure plan.

Votes and formal actions - Text amendment to Chapter 25 (telecommunications facilities) — approved after public hearing (motion: adopt planning commission recommendation; outcome: approved). - Commission permit (finding of substantial conformance to the comprehensive plan) — approved. - Special-exception permit for a 225-foot freestanding tower at the county landfill (70–5B) — approved with conditions requiring substantial conformance to the conceptual site plan, noise compliance, and adherence to local/state/federal development requirements.

Speakers (selected) - Mike McCoy, Community Development staff (government) — presented the text amendment and permit materials and explained required engineering submissions. - Mike Lockerbie, County Attorney (government) — advised on procedural sequencing for the commission permit and special-exception permit. - Matt Henkel, Emergency Communications Systems Manager (government) — answered operational questions about the project timeline and next steps.

Authorities referenced - Botetourt County Zoning Ordinance, Chapter 25 — proposed text amendment section 25-4-41 (telecommunications facilities). - Virginia Code § 15.2–2232 — procedural reference for commission/permit actions (referenced during discussion).

Clarifying details - Proposed tower height: 225 feet (freestanding). (source_speaker: Mike McCoy) - Compound: roughly 75 x 75 feet fenced compound inside a larger county-owned landfill parcel (source_speaker: Mike McCoy). - Engineering requirements: failure-mode/fall-zone analysis, inspection and maintenance schedule, debris projection design to be filed prior to building permit (source_speaker: Mike McCoy).

Proper_names:[{"name":"Botetourt County Landfill","type":"location"},{"name":"Botetourt County Zoning Ordinance","type":"other"},{"name":"Virginia Code § 15.2-2232","type":"statute"}]

Provenance:{"transcript_segments":[{"block_id":"seg_16692.10","local_start":0,"local_end":360,"evidence_excerpt":"Madam chair, at the risk of mister Hinkle stealing some of my thunder talking about SCPs and stuff, I'll run through the text amendment for you. ...","reason_code":"topicintro"},{"block_id":"seg_17231.77","local_start":0,"local_end":120,"evidence_excerpt":"Any opposed? Any abstentions? That also is approved. ...","reason_code":"topicfinish"}]}

searchable_tags:["telecom","tower","emergency communications","zoning text amendment"],

salience:{"overall":0.62,"overall_justification":"Policy and infrastructure decision enabling public-safety communications coverage; technical but locally important.","impact_scope":"local","impact_scope_justification":"Affects county communications infrastructure and adjacent properties.","attention_level":"medium","attention_level_justification":"Specialized policy with limited but important audience (public safety, planning, adjacent property owners)."},

topics:[{"name":"public safety communications","justification":"The text amendment and permits enable emergency communications infrastructure (225-ft tower).","scoring":{"topic_relevance":1.0,"depth_score":0.70,"opinionatedness":0.00,"controversy":0.30,"civic_salience":0.70,"impactfulness":0.7,"geo_relevance":1.0}}],

speakers:[{"name":"Mike McCoy","role_title":"Planning / Zoning staff","affiliation_type":"government","affiliation_name":"Botetourt County Community Development","first_reference":{"timecode":"02:14:52","transcript_line_range":[16108,16146]}},{"name":"Mike Lockerbie","role_title":"County Attorney","affiliation_type":"government","affiliation_name":"Botetourt County","first_reference":{"timecode":"02:18:30","transcript_line_range":[17132,17134]}},{"name":"Matt Henkel","role_title":"Emergency Communications Systems Manager","affiliation_type":"government","affiliation_name":"Botetourt County 911","first_reference":{"timecode":"02:39:20","transcript_line_range":[15918,15941]}}],

authorities:[{"type":"ordinance","name":"Chapter 25, Telecommunications Facilities","citation":"Botetourt County Code, sec. 25-4-41","referenced_by":["telecom-text-amendment"]},{"type":"statute","name":"State enabling procedure for commission permits","citation":"Virginia Code § 15.2-2232","referenced_by":["telecom-commission-permit"]}],

actions:[{"kind":"other","identifiers":{"agenda_item_id":"telecom-text-amendment"},"motion":"Adopt planning commission recommendation to amend Chapter 25 (telecommunications facilities) to clarify height, setback, and engineering requirements for towers that primarily serve public safety.","mover":"not specified","second":"not specified","vote_record":[{"member":"Clinton","member_id":"Clinton","seat":"At-Large","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Stafford","member_id":"Stafford","seat":"At-Large","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Vince White","member_id":"Vince White","seat":"At-Large","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Nicely","member_id":"Nicely","seat":"At-Large","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Scott Horn","member_id":"Scott Horn","seat":"At-Large","vote":"yes"}],"tally":{"yes":5,"no":0,"abstain":0,"absent":0,"recused":0},"legal_threshold":{"met":true,"notes":"Adopted after public hearing as recommended by planning commission."},"outcome":"approved","notes":"Added engineering/fall-zone analysis and inspection requirements; zoning administrator may approve reduced setbacks where analysis supports it."},{"kind":"other","identifiers":{"agenda_item_id":"telecom-commission-permit"},"motion":"Find the proposed landfill tower project substantially in accordance with the comprehensive plan (commission permit).","mover":"not specified","second":"not specified","vote_record":[{"member":"Clinton","member_id":"Clinton","seat":"At-Large","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Stafford","member_id":"Stafford","seat":"At-Large","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Vince White","member_id":"Vince White","seat":"At-Large","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Nicely","member_id":"Nicely","seat":"At-Large","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Scott Horn","member_id":"Scott Horn","seat":"At-Large","vote":"yes"}],"tally":{"yes":5,"no":0,"abstain":0,"absent":0,"recused":0},"legal_threshold":{"met":true},"outcome":"approved","notes":"Commission permit granted prior to special exception permit."},{"kind":"other","identifiers":{"agenda_item_id":"telecom-sep"},"motion":"Approve special exception permit for a 225-foot freestanding telecommunications tower on county landfill parcel 70-5B with recommended conditions (substantial conformance to conceptual plan, noise compliance, compliance with local/state/federal development requirements).","mover":"not specified","second":"not specified","vote_record":[{"member":"Clinton","member_id":"Clinton","seat":"At-Large","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Stafford","member_id":"Stafford","seat":"At-Large","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Vince White","member_id":"Vince White","seat":"At-Large","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Nicely","member_id":"Nicely","seat":"At-Large","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Scott Horn","member_id":"Scott Horn","seat":"At-Large","vote":"yes"}],"tally":{"yes":5,"no":0,"abstain":0,"absent":0,"recused":0},"legal_threshold":{"met":true},"outcome":"approved","notes":"Conditions require submission of required engineering reports before building permits are issued."}],