Planning Commission Recommends Herndon Monopole Project

HERNDON, VA — Fairfax County Planning Commission voted unanimously Wednesday to recommend to the Board of Supervisors an application by Milestone Town Limited Partnership and Fairfax County Public Schools to install a monopole at Herndon High School.

The commission had originally considered the application at a Feb. 26 public hearing, but many members of the Herndon community came out in opposition to the application, which sought to install a 124-foot telecommunications tower and support facility near the school's athletic fields.

"At the public hearing, some of commissioners raised certain concerns and questions," Dranesville District Commissioner John Ulfelder said, at Wednesday's meeting. "The public comment was generally opposed to the monopole."

Ulfelder acknowledged commissioners raised a number of questions and concerns at the Planning Commission's Feb. 26 public hearing about the application and public testimony was generally opposed to installing the monopole at Herndon High School. In addition, the commission received a emails opposing the proposal throughout the consideration process.

In response to the public concerns, the applicants revised their original proposal, which was published as an addendum on June 8. County staff recommended adoption of the revised proposal, saying that it satisfies all of the necessary criteria for installation.

FCPS already has 26 schools and three administrative centers with monopoles, according to Ulfelder. Eighteen are located at high schools, seven are at middle schools, and one is located at an elementary school. In addition, Herndon Middle School has had a monopole since 2012.

"The first site monopole was erected over 20 years ago," Ulfelder said. "Since that time, there haven't been any accidents or injuries involving students or visitors resulting from a monopole. All the approved monopoles meet the FCC's regulations for allowable limits for frequency and electrical magnetic field power. The school system contracts to have the sites tested annually for RF emission levels. In all the years of testing, they never found a problem at any of the existing sites."

Ulfelder went on to detail the changes the applicants made in their revised proposal, including shortening the monopole's height from 124 feet to 114 feet, reducing the number of cell carriers from five to four, and moving the compound closer to the visitors bleachers, with an accommodation for additional ground equipment under the bleachers. In addition, the overall size of the compound has decreased by more than 60 percent.

"As a result of its downsizing and move closer to the bleachers, it leaves more than adequate room for team warm-up activities, the school band, and families attending games or practices in the area between the two athletic fields," he said.

The applicants also added a surface sand filter system to provide water quality treatment for the compound and the service vehicle turnaround, according to Ulfelder.

"In my view, the revisions have addressed the concerns of the public hearing and have improved the application," he said. "I would note, however, that I doubt anything the applicants could do short of withdrawing the application would satisfy many of the parents and residents who have commented on the application. Our responsibility, however, is to determine whether or not the application as presented meets all the requirements of the Comprehensive Plan and zoning ordinance. We cannot stray beyond the bounds of what is presented and our review and authority in these cases is somewhat circumscribed by current state law."

Since the application has been thoroughly reviewed, Ulfelder said the Planning Commission was in a position to recommend the application to the Board of Supervisors.

"I agree with the staff's analysis and conclusion that the proposed telecommunications facility consisting of a monopole and associated equipment compound is in harmony with the Comprehensive Plan and applicable zoning ordinance provisions, and as well satisfies the criteria of location, character, and extent," he said.

Before making his final recommendation, Ulfelder asked county staff why the James J. Corbalis Jr. Water Treatment Plant (1295 Fred Morin Drive, Herndon) was not considered as an alternative public site for the monopole. This was something that was raised in the correspondence Ulfelder received about the application. County staff confirmed the plant was outside the applicants' search area for alternative sites, adding that the applicant and not the county defines the scope of alternatives sites.

Ulfelder moved the Planning Commission approve the monopole application and recommend it to the Board of Supervisors. The commissioners voted unanimously for approval. The Board of Supervisors is scheduled to host a public hearing on the application at its Sept. 15 meeting.

Also see ...

• Planning Commission Defers Herndon Monopole Vote Again
• Plans For Herndon High Monopole Revised; Hearings Rescheduled
• Herndon High Monopole Decision Delayed Indefinitely
• Planning Commission Postpones Vote On Herndon High Monopole