Board forwards Milestone/Verizon monopole at Route 7/Claiborne Parkway to June 3 after residents object to proposed location

The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors on May 14 voted to forward the Milestone/Verizon telecommunications application for a 150‑foot monopole at the Route 7/Claiborne Parkway interchange to the June 3 business meeting for action after a contested public hearing with multiple residents urging denial.

Proposal and staff recommendation - Christian Maldonado (Department of Planning and Zoning) summarized the application: a monopole sited within VDOT right‑of‑way along Route 7, proposed to support up to four carriers, mounted with a two‑foot lightning rod and surrounded by an enhanced 20‑foot landscaping buffer and a 10‑foot chain‑link fence with 95% opaque green privacy slats. The proposed site lies adjacent to the planned Dominion Energy transmission corridor. - Staff recommended approval of the commission permit and recommended the special exception be approved subject to conditions intended to blend the monopole with the natural surroundings and ensure appropriate screening.

Applicant rationale and technical detail - Aaron Frank (Cooley, representing Milestone) and RF engineer Paul Dugan described the coverage gap the applicant said exists south of Route 7 and east of the Ashburn Village corridor. The applicant presented propagation maps and said other rooftop options in the service area did not meet the height or coverage requirements; the applicant reported efforts to pursue rooftop colocation but said negotiations with a property owner did not yield a viable rooftop option. - The applicant said the proposed monopole would be roughly 52…