ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, March 27, 1997 TAG: 9703270015
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: LESLIE HAGER-SMITH, KATHY LOAN AND PAUL DELLINGER
The Montgomery County Board of Supervisors declined to schedule public hearings on a Waynesboro company's three requests for special-use permits to construct digital communication towers. The supervisors tabled action on a hearing until they have more information on the towers.
CFW Wireless has asked for permission to build the towers, which they said would be less than 200 feet tall to avoid having to meet Federal Aviation Administration lighting and painting requirements. =r4 Board Chairman Joe Gorman said the supervisors had received some conflicting information about the heights of the towers. "The application that was on our agenda called for a 250-foot tower [in the Merrimac community]. There's no indication if that would interfere with the VPI airport or not," Gorman said Tuesday. Although the company told the Planning Commission last week it was scaling back the heights, Gorman said, "it wasn't in the request. We have to go by what they give us." The county is also beginning to look at a tower ordinance.
The Radford City Council on Monday night approved refinancing of $2.7 million in electrical revenue bonds to save the city $200,000 over the next nine years.
The council also considered extending the license of Scott Cable Communications, which provides cable TV services to the city under the name American Cable Entertainment. Its contract is due to expire in August 1999.
The company approached council in June with a request to extend its license. Scott's system of 42 channels is full and it is unable to offer more. According to General Manager Erv Stauss, an extended license would allow the company to upgrade services by spreading the cost of this work over a period of years.
Last year, the beleaguered company, which faces increasing competition from wireless services, small dish providers and other cable companies, was reorganized under Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings. Council deferred a final vote until its May 12 meeting.
The Pulaski Economic Development Office will review a preliminary report of a study on whether Pulaski would work as a location for a downtown factory outlet between now and the end of the month, when it will return the study to the consultant for any clarifications.
Economic Development Director Barry Matherly told the Economic Development Board Executive Committee on Wednesday that the study recommendation should be available early in April.
The study by a Boston-based consultant will indicate whether the town could support a series of downtown factory outlet shops. There has been a trend lately toward locating such outlets in downtowns instead of outlet malls.
Debbie Jonas, chairwoman of the board's Finance Committee, noted that beautification is a key element of boosting tourism to bring customers to Pulaski's existing downtown shops. Pulaski Mayor John Johnston said the town needs volunteers to serve on its Beautification Committee.
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