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Commission recommends approval of telecom compound expansion, requests screening and maintenance conditions
Summary
The commission voted to forward a special-exception request (SPEX-25-025778) to expand an existing fiber-optic facility leased from a local church; staff and the applicant said the expansion stays within the leased area and no traffic increase is expected, and commissioners emphasized landscape screening, long-term maintenance and monthly inspections.
The Planning Commission voted Jan. 21 to forward a special-exception application to expand an existing fiber-optic inline-amplifier (ILA) compound in Warrenton to the Board of Supervisors with a recommendation of approval, while emphasizing screening and maintenance conditions.
Staff told the commission the existing facility (approved in 2019) is on leased church property adjacent to Lee Highway, occupies a 7,200-square-foot leased area and is connected to underground conduit in the VDOT right-of-way. The applicant requested to expand the compound by approximately 656 square feet to add a second ILA shelter and two equipment pads; staff noted the expansion would remain within the leased area and said no traffic increase is anticipated.
Sam Davis of Lidcor Technical Services, representing Middle Mile Infrastructure, told the commission his team had reviewed staff comments and had no outstanding concerns. "We have no concerns with it, and we can address those items with the site plan process," Davis said.
Commissioners asked about the proposed shelter height (about 12–13 feet at peak) versus the existing smaller shelter (~10 feet) and requested that landscape material be installed to obscure the pad (initially at least 10 feet and species that could reach 15 feet in mature growth). The applicant agreed to coordinate with staff on screening and site-plan details; the commission moved to forward the application with a recommendation of approval.
The Board of Supervisors will receive the Planning Commission's recommendation and the site-plan review will implement screening, maintenance and monthly inspection conditions.
