Wireless Tower News

July 2015

Loudoun County Zoning Amendment Approved

loudoun county seal The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors approved an amendment to its zoning code that will allow wireless towers to be constructed in Planned Development Housing and Residential districts. Previously, towers were prohibited from being constructed in these zones, which rendered many government-owned and school sites--popular locations for installations--off-limits. The amendment allows telecommunications monopoles and towers "Special Exception Use" on properties owned by the government or a public utility.

"Milestone has worked diligently with Loudoun County staff on this amendment for more than two years," said Jennifer Bond, Milestone's Director of Business Development. "We're very pleased that the County is finding ways to continue to meet wireless network demands." Read the full story.

Len Forkas Speaks at VSBA Conference

Len Forkas addresses attendees.

Milestone President, Len Forkas, addressed attendees of the 30th Annual Virginia School Boards Association (VSBA) Conference on Education on July 21st in Richmond, VA. His talk on teambuilding and leadership was part of the luncheon speaker series.

The conference was attended by school division leaders from across Virginia. Workshops and discussions highlighted successful practices in Virginia's schools divisions. The event also included regional meetings to discuss issues pertinent to specific regions of Virginia.

VSBA's mission is to promote excellence in public education through advocacy, training and service. More information can be found on the VSBA website.

Revenue Opportunities for Utility Companies

The new tower at the Johnson Electrical Substation on Lee Highway in Centreville, VA.

It's a widely accepted practice for utility companies to permit collocation of wireless telecommunication equipment on existing transmission structures. The most common transaction is a commercial wireless carrier executing a lease or license agreement to attach antennae and other equipment at or near the top of a transmission tower. Since most transmission infrastructure is constructed on utility-owned land along corridors extending for many miles, the carrier often executes a similar agreement with the property owner to place shelters and telco equipment on the ground adjacent to the structure. This decade-old model, which generates millions for utility companies and cooperatives, is being "up ended" with the deployment of 4G technology.

The wind and weight loading to achieve full 4G capability is roughly double that of 3G sites. Thousands of existing transmission structures nationwide do not have the structural capacity to meet the new 4G loading demands and are at risk of being decommissioned over time by the wireless carriers.

One option for utility companies to preserve and expand their wireless income stream is to consider allowing companies such as Milestone to construct new towers on utility-owned real estate such as substations and district offices and share in the revenue.

A full article on the subject by Len Forkas will be published in the next Utilities Telecom Council (UTC) Journal.

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About Milestone Communications

Founded in 2000, Milestone Communications is the leading developer of wireless towers in partnership with school and government landowners, enabling them to direct millions of dollars annually to educational and extracurricular budgets. Milestone solves network coverage priorities for the wireless industry efficiently and reliably by working closely with local communities to provide solutions that are aesthetically and functionally optimized for their environments. Milestone has developed and managed over 100 wireless towers over the last 15 years and currently manages 2,000 potential wireless infrastructure sites for 43 partners in the Mid-Atlantic region. For more information, visit milestonecommunications.com.

Milestone Communications
12110 Sunset Hills Road, Suite 100
Reston, Virginia 20190

In This Issue

Loudoun Zoning

Len Speaks at VSBA

Revenue for Utilities

Property Values

Tower Project Updates

Cell Tower Effects on Property Values

Resistance to cell tower installations is generally based on uncertainty about safety. But another issue that is often brought up is a cell tower's effect on property values. While many believe towers have a negative impact, recent articles share a very different perspective.

Read the full story.

Project Updates

Stonewall Park Pool

The tree pole at Stonewall

Park Pool.

The tree pole concealment tower at Stonewall Park Pool in Manassas, VA, is getting the final touches to its branching. Verizon is the lead carrier and the city will share in the revenue stream as a part of its partnership with Milestone.

Oxon Hill Middle School

Finalizing the foundation at
Oxon Hill.

The foundation for the cell tower at Oxon Hill Middle School in Prince George's County, MD is complete!

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