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Washington County approves Jean George School cell-tower conditional use permit
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Summary
The Washington County Board approved a conditional use permit for a 99-foot unmanned monopole to improve Verizon coverage; the tower will sit on a 32-acre site, include space for two future colocations, operate 24/7, and remain unmanned and secured. No public opposition was recorded.
The Washington County Board of Commissioners approved a conditional use permit on voice votes to allow an unmanned 99-foot monopole communications tower on a 32-acre parcel near Jean George School.
Planning staff told the board the proposed lease area would be approximately 75 by 75 feet with a 60-by-60-foot fenced compound and a locked 12-foot gate for access from Deer Road. The facility is designed to accommodate Verizon antennas at a 94-foot centerline and provide spaces for two additional future providers to co-locate, staff said. The compound will be secured by a 6-foot chain-link fence topped with three strands of barbed wire, will not be open to the public, and will be unmanned; recurring traffic is expected to be limited to maintenance technicians, staff said.
Staff said the site requires no water, plumbing, sewer or septic because the facility will operate in an automated fashion. Planning staff also stated that the proposal is undergoing the necessary NEPA, Federal Aviation Administration and Federal Communications Commission reviews and that the applicant provided stamped site plans and a structural analysis from a certified professional engineer.
Patton Hahn, representing Vertical Bridge and Verizon, said his client accepted the proposed conditions of approval and had nothing further to add. Chair Lauren Shackleford opened the public comment period; no members of the public spoke. The board then moved, seconded and approved the conditional use permit with no recorded opposition.
The board did not record a roll-call vote in the transcript; minutes show the motion carried by voice vote. The permit includes conditions noted by planning staff and requires any outstanding regulatory clearances to be completed before construction begins.
