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Planning commission approves Mecklenburg Electric service yard and a Verizon tower
Summary
The commission approved a special‑use permit for a public utility service yard for Mecklenburg Electric and a 190‑foot Verizon telecom tower after public hearings and brief public comment; both items proceed to the Board of Supervisors or next administrative steps.
The Greensville County Planning Commission approved two development requests after public hearings: a special‑use permit for a Mecklenburg Electric public utility service yard and a special‑use permit for a 190‑foot telecommunications tower proposed by Cellco Partnership (Verizon Wireless).
Staff described SP22026 as a public utility service center and storage yard on an A‑1 agricultural parcel near Highway 58; the parcel, previously the subject of a 2016 application by owner Richard Shore (Realtree Wood Corporation), is compatible with small‑scale local services under the county’s comprehensive plan, staff said. A Mecklenburg Electric representative emphasized the cooperative’s long presence and service area, noting the office serves about 9,000 locations across Greensville County and nearby jurisdictions. "We serve 9,000 locations, in both Greensville County, the city of Emporia, Sussex, Southampton, Brunswick," the representative said, urging approval. The commission approved the SUP and staff will forward the matter to the Board of Supervisors on the first Monday in July.
For SP3‑20‑26, staff and the applicant presented a 190‑foot monopole with room for co‑location. Lisa Murphy, zoning counsel for Cellco Partnership, said the proposed site would close a coverage gap in a part of the county with no towers within about five miles and described the vendor’s RF and structural analyses. "It really is critically important to have that infrastructure," Murphy said, citing increased wireless‑only usage and work‑from‑home needs. A resident noted their house fell within the applicant’s coverage circle; the commission considered a conflict of interest and then approved the SUP (one recusal was noted). Both approvals were recorded by roll call, and meeting minutes show the motions carried.
The commission discussed recruitment of additional technical briefings and follow‑up as necessary. Each SUP will continue through the county’s administrative and Board of Supervisors processes as required by local procedure.
