Mathews County board approves Verizon 195‑foot monopole after conditions, unanimous vote

The Mathews County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to approve an ordinance authorizing a conditional use permit for a 195‑foot monopole telecommunications tower on private property, application 4500830.

The CUP, brought on behalf of applicants Matthew and Stephanie Lowe and to be built by Towers LLC for Verizon Wireless, was approved after the county attorney walked the board through a package of conditions the county will attach to the permit. The conditions address compliance responsibility, a 30‑day notice procedure for modification or revocation, substantial conformance with the submitted concept plan, a requirement for a professional‑engineer certification before additional collocations, FAA compliance, and a removal requirement if antennas are absent for two consecutive years.

“Verizon is comfortable with all of the conditions as presented,” said Miss Murphy, a Verizon representative, who also corrected the record on tower height and noted the proposed ordinance reflects the correct 195‑foot height with a four‑foot lightning rod. Planning staff said the site (tax map Parcel 4‑A‑119) is zoned RU and that the application is made in accordance with Mathews County Zoning Ordinance section 175‑5.324 and section 175, article 23.

Judy Roe, chair of the Mathews County Broadband Advisory Board, urged approval during public comment, saying the county has been left out of many commercial deployments and that the tower will expand high‑speed wireless internet access for communities without service. “We are excited with what they’re bringing to the county,” Roe said, asking the board to approve the permit so Verizon can meet vendor timelines.

Board members praised the broadband committee’s long work and cited expected community benefits including better internet for students and potential economic gains. After a motion, the board took a roll‑call vote; Mr. Walls, Miss Phillips, Mr. Bowen, Mr. Jones and Mr. Doss each voted “Aye.” The ordinance and CUP were approved.

The board corrected a clerical error in the ordinance language — changing the applicant name as presented in the packet to Matthew and Stephanie Lowe and adjusting the three‑year expiration date language noted in the staff report — before final approval. The approved conditions require conformity with federal, state and local laws and include a requirement for VDOT land‑use permits and any VDOT improvements as necessary.

Application 4500830 is now approved by the board and will proceed under the conditions adopted at the hearing.