Subject:
Title
IMPROVING WIRELESS COVERAGE IN VIENNA - SECOND WORK SESSION
Body
PURPOSE:
PROVIDE INFORMATION TO AND RECEIVE POLICY GUIDANCE FROM THE TOWN COUNCIL ON THE TOWN COUNCIL'S 2026 PRIORITY INITIATIVE TO IMPROVE WIRELESS COVERAGE IN VIENNA.
KEY QUESTIONS:
Key questions for the Town Council to consider are all follow-up items based on requests from the Town Council's May 11, 2026, work session. Further detail and background on these questions can be found under "Overview," below:
1) (This question can be skipped if it has already been covered in the Comprehensive Plan work session.) How does the Town Council wish to treat wireless facilities in the Comprehensive Plan?
2) Are there limits to where the Town Council is willing to consider the installation of a tower whose height would potentially be in the range of 120-150 feet, or is the Town Council open to a wide range of locations?
3) Staff's refined understanding of the Virginia code is that co-location of wireless facilities must be managed administratively; but that any new installation, of any height, may be a special exception (which the Town of Vienna calls a "conditional use permit"). However, some local governments in Northern Virginia choose to allow administrative approval for all installations under 50 feet, even when they are not co-locations. What does the Town Council wish to do?
4) At present, the Board of Architectural Review (BAR) reviews all proposed wireless installations. Does the Town Council wish to continue with this approach, even for applications that you choose to have reviewed administratively?
BACKGROUND SUMMARY:
On May 11, 2026, the Town Council held its first work session on the goal of improving wireless communications in the Town of Vienna. This goal was selected by the Town Council as one of its priorities for the calendar year 2026. Background for the project was provided within the May 11 staff report.
During that work session, staff placed some questions...
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