St. Leonard, MD – The St. Leonard skyline will soon include a communications tower, which is expected to improve cell phone service in that immediate area. On Thursday, March 2 the Calvert County Board of Appeals granted a special exception to Telecom Capital Group LLC to install a 195-foot communications monopole on property owned by Crossroad Christian Church Inc. The church on Ball Road in St. Leonard will benefit financially from the presence of the monopole. In addition to the monopole, a four-foot lightning rod will be attached to the stop of the structure. The base of the pole will be within a 70-foot-by-70-foot fenced-in compound.
Telecom Capital Group LLC is owned by Maryland Delegate Mark N. Fisher [R – District 27C].
During the presentation project agent Kevin Shaver of Wilkerson and Associates told the board the pole will be situated well away from the church’s gathering area. No adverse environmental impacts from locating the monopole on the proposed tract could be identified. The parcel’s elevation was also viewed as a positive factor in the final site decision.
Manish Dureja of Telecom stated the site was identified for a communications tower because the area’s number of cellphone users has exceeded capacity and poor cellphone coverage exists along a segment of Ball Road. The presence of the communications tower “would exceed optimum coverage.”
“This particular area does require enhanced coverage,” said Jeff Martin, a communications consultant contracted by Calvert County Government. The project proponents’ packet of exhibits included a letter from Verizon Wireless confirming it is actively pursuing a lease agreement with Telecom and a missive from the Maryland Aviation Administration stating the proposed monopole posed no hindrances to area airports.
Telecom had considered locating communications equipment on a water tower on property owned by the St. Leonard Volunteer Fire Department but the location was deemed not viable due to height issues and the fact it could only support the equipment of one wireless company. Dureja said church officials were approached, accepted the proposal and signed a 45-year lease. He confirmed that none of the communications equipment attached to the monopole would interfere with volunteer fire department communications.
One adjacent property owner, Dottie Green, asked for clarification regarding road access to the monopole for maintenance purposes. Shaver confirmed that an existing gravel driveway on church property would provide the access and there would be no breach of Greene’s property.
Ralph Smith of Crossroads Christian Church stated that, “we highly welcome the tower. That benefits the church and the whole community.”
The Board of Appeals did request the applicant to address any stormwater management issues in the area where to pole will be constructed. Unanimous approval was given to grant the special exception.
Contact Marty Madden at marty.madden@thebaynet.com
Image: © Can Stock Photo / mcharles999