Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, July 8, 1994 TAG: 9407110183
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: By BRIAN KELLEY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG LENGTH: Medium
The corporation has asked Montgomery County to grant a special-use permit to build the tower on land owned by the Virginia Tech Foundation Inc.
The site is on the western end of the 2,400-foot ridge that dominates the landscape between Christiansburg and Blacksburg.
New River Media this week announced its final purchase of two Christiansburg radio stations - WVVV (104.9 FM) and WJJJ (1260 AM) - and their pending consolidation with the operations of Pulaski's WPSK (107.1 FM).
Though New River Media plans to join the studio operations of the rock, oldies and country stations in the Radford area, the proposed transmitting tower would serve only WVVV. A new tower will enable the station to boost its transmitting power from 3,000 to 25,000 watts, according to the company's application with the county planning office.
The proposal comes less than a month after an overwhelming public outcry led Contel Cellular to withdraw plans for a 185-foot communications tower on Paris Mountain above the Ellett Valley. Residents said it would have ruined the view and damaged property values in the scenic valley east of Blacksburg.
Tower proposals have a checkered history on Montgomery County. Though there are already two towers atop Price Mountain, public opposition led Reed Lumber Co. to withdraw a 1991 application for a 280-foot radio tower on the same ridge.
In this case, the proposal will go before the county Planning Commission on July 20. The commission eventually will make a recommendation to the Board of Supervisors on the special-use permit. The supervisors and Planning Commission will hold a public hearing before the final decision is made.
The Virginia Tech Foundation, a nonprofit entity that also owns and operates the Roanoke-based public radio station WVTF (89.1 FM), applied for the permit to lease a 10,000-square-foot parcel of land to New River Media. The foundation bought the 50-plus acres of land on Price Mountain in February from Robert and Marianne Zambrano. It's bordered by a large parcel of land owned by the university, and one owned by two people with a California address.
The Tech Foundation and New River Media listed three ways the new tower could benefit Montgomery County residents: by freeing up the current WVVV/WJJJ tower site for retail development; by "supporting and creating area jobs" through New River's payroll and advertising services; and by "enhancing the delivery of vital area news and information" via the increase in the station's power.
New River Media officials said the tower site on Price Mountain has been reviewed and approved by federal authorities and meets communications, aviation and environmental guidelines.
by CNB