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Our View
First steps
We need a solution tailored to our
county's character and needs
Last week’s joint public hearing on
Rappahannock’s future in the world of cellular
communications was a first step, albeit a small and somewhat uncertain one.
In reality, there weren’t many surprises. At this stage of the game, people are just learning about what’s coming, whether or not they have any use for cellular phones or the equipment that makes them work.
What does matter is that the issue is now out there now for discussion, and everyone is aware of the fact that it’s not going to go away.
On all sides, there is a lot of work to be done.
Officials of Sprint PCS have a long way to go to convince a majority of residents in Rappahannock that what they propose — a minimum of six 250-foot towers on the high ground — are worth what we stand to lose in terms of natural beauty.
In fact, very little other than Sprint’s seriousness in pursuing the concept was revealed — no possible site maps, no impact studies, no technical revelations.
Closer to home, our county leaders will be crossing some unfamiliar ground, as they struggle with regulations that can only go so far when applied to telecommunications equipment. There is very little already on the books that applies directly to rural Rappahannock. An outright ban, however popular or well-intentioned, would inevitably lead to a serious lawsuit. We can count on that.
And then there are the private citizens who can see the real benefits of having Sprint, or some other telecommunications provider, come to town. Improved cellular phone service locally for business and personal use; better public safety applications; and new income from rental of tower sites.
We now need to enter the phase of this process: the telecommunications people must tell us what they want, where they must have it, and what they are willing to do to mitigate the effects on our priceless viewshed.
Then we need to arrive at a consensus, as a county, as to how we want to deal with this challenge and what we will get — in the balance — for what we may lose.
It has been suggested that once the picture becomes clearer, public opinion be sampled and ideas sought at a grass roots level, perhaps with meetings held in each district.
There are still many options, and maybe a “Rappahannock option” that will work for us is out there.
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