Telecommunications tower request pushed to later session

Community
Aerial view of land selected for telecommunications tower request.

After tabling the matter at the voting session on Dec. 16, 2021, the Dawson County Board of Commissioners further delayed the telecommunications tower request until the March 3 meeting.

On behalf of Verizon Wireless, Greg Spence first presented the request to the Dawson County Planning Commission on Nov. 16, 2021.

The Board of Commissioners tabled the telecommunications tower request.

The Board of Commissioners further considered Verizon Wireless’s proposal at its Feb. 3 meeting.

Spence proposed special use of land at Wesley Chapel Road and Highway 52 to construct a communications tower. Joyce Hutcheson has owned the selected parcel, which is currently vacant land, since 2004.

The area primarily consists of undeveloped woodlands and large estate lots.

Telecommunications tower discussion tabled.

Hutcheson’s property, currently a wooded lot, will house the tower upon approval.

Although the tower would likely not be visible from the roadway, it would likely affect neighboring lots’ views. The list of adjacent property owners includes five affected addresses.

All properties, including the parcel selected for the tower, are zoned Residential Agricultural.

Considering the proposed land use’s effect, the tower could decrease property values by a small percentage but should not diminish the area’s general character.

Even with possible negatives, the public benefits through the opportunity to improve general and emergency cellular communications.

Specifications of the proposed telecommunications tower

The overall tower height of 195 feet, which includes the monopole and attached lightning rod, satisfies the minimum height needed to properly provide improved rural coverage.

Also, the height accommodates anticipated future growth for wireless demand in the area.

According to the company, Verizon Wireless made attempts to utilize any existing structures to meet the network design goals. It did not find any registered antenna structures within two miles of the search area radius.

Upon the structure’s completion, the facility will be unmanned. Workers will visit once per month on average for routine maintenance purposes.

Along with other discussed items, the Board made supporting documents for the telecommunications tower available at https://www.dawsoncounty.org/meetings.

The Board of Commissioners tabled telecommunications tower request.

The Board of Commissioners requires more documentation before voting on the request.

Fetch Your News previously announced Verizon Wireless’s balloon test, which readers can find at https://dawson.fetchyournews.com/2022/01/10/verizon-wireless-to-conduct-balloon-test-for-proposed-cell-tower-on-1-12/.

While waiting on additional documents, the Board will continue to deliberate until its next discussion of the tower on March 3.

Verizon Wireless to Conduct Balloon Test for Proposed Cell Tower on 1/12

Community, News
Verizon Wireless will complete a balloon test on Wednesday, January 12, 2022 between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. This balloon test is a requirement for a zoning application for a proposed wireless telecommunications facility on parcel 049 001 located at Wesley Chapel Road. They will have an alternate weather day on January 14, 2022, if required.
The proposed telecommunications facility will be a one hundred ninety-foot (190′) monopole tower. According to a letter sent to surrounding parcel owners on January 5, 2022, Verizon Wireless states that in order to improve coverage and capacity issues as a result of increased wireless congestion, it requires a new cell site in this portion of Dawson County. Upon concluding there are no available suitable structures in the area upon which to co-locate, the only option is to build a new telecommunications tower.
This zoning application was heard by the Board of Commissioners on December 16, 2021 and was tabled to its February 3, 2022 Voting Session. This application was tabled to allow Verizon Wireless to facilitate a balloon test for at least 4 hours with adequate notification to the Board of Commissioners to attend as well as surrounding land owners so they may gain a better understanding of the proposed location in which the cell tower will be physically located.
~ Laura Fulcher, Public Affairs Officer

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