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Committee recommends lease to Milestone for cell tower on Lynchburg schools property
Summary
The Planning & Development Committee voted to recommend a resolution leasing school property for a Milestone monotower and to appropriate lease proceeds for maintenance at the transportation facility; the item will go to City Council for final action and a public hearing is scheduled for Aug. 26.
The Planning & Development Committee voted to recommend that the City Council approve a lease of school-owned property to Milestone Tower for a monopole cell tower at the Lynchburg Schools transportation facility on John Capron Road and to appropriate the lease proceeds to school capital funds.
Committee members heard staff explain the lease terms and next steps. Dana, a city staff member, said the city participates in a master marketing agreement that allows leasing public property for cell towers and that the proposed tower would be under 150 feet, which does not require separate zoning approval in the site's industrial zoning. Dana said the city currently has three towers on city property and that lease revenue under the agreement provides 30% of monthly gross rental revenue to the city; there is a $25,000 one-time site fee for the first carrier and $5,000 for each additional carrier added to a tower.
Why it matters: staff said funds from the lease would be used for maintenance at the transportation facility — paving, fencing and secured storage — and the committee moved and voted to recommend the lease to council. A public hearing before the City Council is scheduled for Aug. 26.
Details presented to the committee included the proposed access from Bradley Drive to avoid bus traffic, and staff said the city will notify nearby businesses although zoning notice is not required. Dana described the revenue terms: “What we get for rent and fees is basically 30% of the monthly gross rental revenue, and that's based on the number of carriers that are on the tower,” and confirmed the $25,000 one-time site fee and the $5,000 fee per additional carrier.
Committee procedure and next steps were spelled out: the committee recommended forwarding a resolution to lease the school property to Milestone and to appropriate the funds to school capital; the item will return to council with a public hearing on Aug. 26. The motion passed on a committee voice vote (“Aye. Aye.”).
No final lease was executed at the meeting; council action and any contract details will determine final terms.
