HRAB 04-19-11 Meeting MinutesFrederick County Historic Resources Advisory Board (HRAB)
April 19, 2011
Board of Supervisors Executive Session Room of the County
Administrative building
107 North Kent Street Winchester, VA
Members Present: Rhoda Kriz (Chairman), Elizabeth Fravel, Stacey Yost, Mary Turner, Lauren
Murphy, Clint Jones, Gary Oates
Members Absent: Claus Bader, Robert Hess, Maral Kalbian
Staff Present: Candice E. Perkins
Applicants Present: Tracy L. Anderson, Donohue & Stearns, PLC, AT&T Representatives
Agenda Items: Review of the AT&T Telecommunications Facility CUP (Indian Hollow Road)
Call to order at 6:30 PM.
Item One: Planner Perkins introduced the first agenda item which was an AT&T
telecommunication facility CUP for 2418 Indian Hollow Road. After staff provided an overview
of the submittal the applicant was provided the opportunity to speak about the request.
The HRAB expressed numerous concerns over the proposed tower. The concerns and
comments were as follows:
• The descriptions of the proposed historic properties contained in the Visual Impact
Assessment Report prepared by ACER Associates, LLC were incorrect.
• The HRAB had concerns that the historic properties located on the proposed property
and the adjacent properties could be eligible for the state/national register of historic
places and that the construction of this tower would impact their eligibility potential.
Also, the surveys on record for the three properties are old and therefore the properties
could now be considered eligible.
• The viewshed of this area is intact and only small utility/power poles are present. The
construction of this tower will significantly impact the cultural and historical viewshed of
this area.
• The applicant should consider a shorter pole for the tower with flush mount antenna
that could help lessen the impact. The tower should also be moved into the existing
tree coverage to provide as much screening as possible.
• This area has potential to be a historic district and the County needs to protect the
historic integrity of these areas.
• The Comprehensive Plan states that the views of the rural landscape should be
protected. The HRAB stated that this applicant does not conform to the Comprehensive
Plan.
• The HRAB stated that "in vehicle coverage" was not an adequate reason to construct a
new tower in this vicinity because this area has not been identified as a future growth
1
area for the County.
• The three historic sites are all relatively intact homesteads and farm complexes, these
areas should be properly surveyed and preserved.
• Stealth towers should be investigated for this site.
• Evergreen plantings should be provided around the tower enclosure.
• Simulated photographs should be prepared to better understand the impact the
proposed tower will have on the historic properties and the viewshed.
• The applicant should further investigate the historic property on site (Old Hoover Place)
to determine its significance.
After discussions on the application concluded, the HRAB recommended that the AT&T
telecommunication facility CUP for 2418 Indian Hollow Road be denied. The HRAB stated that
the impacts created by this tower would significantly impact the historic properties located in
the vicinity of the tower as well as disrupt the cultural landscape.
Meeting was adjourned at 7:30p.m.
2