Members of the Buckingham County Board of Supervisors voted to table a special use permit for a microwave tower at the Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP) compressor station site off Route 56 until they could further study the tower and its features.

The land parcel for the proposed tower is located on approximately 68 acres at South James River Highway, Route 56, in the James River Magisterial District.

The Special Use Permit (SUP) was initially approved by the Buckingham County Board of Supervisors in July 2017 and the microwave communications tower was intended to support the ACP compressor station.

The SUP was valid for 18 months, and had expired in January 2019. Because the zoning ordinance did not provide for authority to renew this same permit or to grant an extension, the ACP LLC has submitted a new application for a special use permit. The SUP for the new permit would be valid for 36 months.

“This application seeks authorization of the same tower, on the same property and under the same terms,” county documentation cited.

The vote by the board came after a public hearing in which seven members of the public spoke. Three spoke in support of the tower, and four spoke in opposition.

During the meeting, Emmett Toms with Dominion Energy gave a presentation on the tower project and gave supervisors a chance to ask questions. He also laid out Dominion Energy’s plan to provide broadband services to more of its clients.

Dominion Energy is a major subsidiary of the ACP.

Kay Carter spoke in support of the tower, citing that the revenue could provide funding for the county.

“It’s a very, very safe plan,” she said to the board about the tower project. “You’ve all approved it before, and appreciate if you would approve it again.”

Ella Rose, who lives close to the proposed compressor station site, said she remains opposed to the project. She said if the tower is voted in favor, she asked that it include broadband access.

“If it must be, then I would want the best technology available to ensure my safety,” Rose said.

J.B. Jones, who lives in Cumberland, said he is in support of the project.

“We all know that the pipeline has experienced some delays,” he said, referring to the stop work order issued for the ACP that has stopped construction. “I feel like these delays would be overcome, and the pipeline will be built. When the pipeline is done, then a compressor station is going to be needed, and as a part of that compressor station, a microwave tower is going to be needed. ”

Quinn Robinson asked about safety precautions being taken related to the tower to prevent it from situations such as collapsing.

Toms said, with the vote of the board and planning commission, the tower site has been shifted to allow for more than 200 feet to the property line.

“The tower will be 195-feet tall,” Toms said. “There was concern about if it fell. It would still be on our property.”

Toms said the county could install antennas for fire and rescue agencies on the proposed tower.

In a phone interview Tuesday, Toms said that the proposed tower would primarily be used for the ACP compressor station. He said while the tower can lease space out for use, he said the intent for the tower isn’t to compete with cellular or broadband companies that could provide cell or internet service.

“There are other tower companies who do this,” Toms said about leasing space to cellular providers. “We would be in competition with them, but if somebody wanted to do that we have agreements to rent or lease space.”

Toms, during the Monday meeting, also gave an overview of Dominion Energy’s plan to begin bringing broadband access to rural areas through “middle mile” service, in which Dominion would install broadband to its substations. Area co-ops would then be responsible for bringing the broadband to the last mile residents, those at the end of telecommunication networks.

The legislation is expected to take effect July 1.

District Three Supervisor Don Matthews spoke about the county’s role in assisting Central Virginia Electric Cooperative in providing equipment for broadband.

“It’s coming,” Matthews said about broadband access. “It’s not going to happen today. It’s not going to happen tomorrow, but we are working toward that situation for the citizens of Buckingham County.”

District Six Supervisor Joe Chambers made the motion to table the special use permit. District One Supervisor Robert “Bob” Jones seconded. All supervisors voted in favor except for Matthews, who abstained and Chairman Donnie Bryan, who was absent.