Cell companies attend meeting on ordinance

Representatives of two cellular phone companies and Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation met with county commissioners on a proposed wireless communication tower ordinance for Alleghany County.

The ordinance was first presented to the county commission at their last meeting, July 2, by County Planner Jack Conaway.

The purpose of the ordinance was slated as preservation of the local ‘viewshed,' a term used to describe the scenic views of an area, while accommodating the orderly development of the wireless communication industry.

Among plans slated in the ordinance were restricting tower height and encouraging tower co-location, providing adequate fall zones (for ice, debris or potential tower failure) and requiring the use of camouflage or ‘stealth technology' in certain areas of the county.

Attending Monday's meeting were Greg Tulley of Crown Communications (representing U.S. Cellular), Mark Bougham and John McMillan of Carolina West Wireless and Joe Ward of Blue Ridge Electric. Blue Ridge Electric has a communication tower located on Sam Browne Mountain, but it is not a cellular phone tower.
 
 

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