Commission approves three Verizon Wireless towers

By Erin McGrath

Published: June 4, 2008

The Nelson County Planning Commission approved three communication tower permits for Verizon Wireless at their May 28 meeting.

These towers are part of the group Verizon Wireless is planning to construct in Nelson County to provide cell phone coverage, Lori Schweller, an attorney representing the company said.

The first tower is an 88-foot-tall wooden monopole located on James River Road in Wingina near the Buckingham County border.

The land the pole will be built on is located on a tree farm and the wooden pole would blend in “nicely,” Schweller said.

Commissioners approved the tower and waived its landscaping requirements because of the location.

The second tower is an 88-foot-tall metal pole located along U.S. 29 in Faber, between Virginia 6 West and Virginia 6 East.

Because this portion of U.S. 29 is designated as a Scenic Byway, and the tower is within its viewshed, final approval for this tower is needed by the Nelson County Board of Supervisors.

Schweller said there was no visual impact by the tower on the highway, and that the pole would be painted brown to blend in with the surrounding foliage.

Commissioners approved the application for the tower and waived its landscaping requirements, contingent on the supervisors’ approval.

The third tower is a 114-foot collapsible metal tower that will be located along U.S. 29 in Lovingston, near Eades Lane and Creekview Lane.

Schweller said this tower would be visible from the highway and is above the tree line because of the mountains in the area.

“You have a lot of those around here,” Schweller said.

Commissioners approved the tower with the exceptions of a reduced setback requirement from 142.5 feet to 20 feet because the tower is collapsible, and a reduced restriction on no Class III communications towers within two miles of each other to one and a half miles to provide continuous coverage in the area due to the terrain.

The third tower is also contingent upon the supervisors’ approval. The Nelson County Board of Supervisors next meeting is scheduled for June 10 at 2 p.m.