The James City County Board of Supervisors will host two public hearings Tuesday to allow citizens to voice their opinions on a proposed radio tower for Davis Media.
Davis Media, parent company of several radio stations and online newspapers including Williamsburg-area The Tide and Bach FM and WYDaily.com, has asked for a special use permit to allow construction of a 104-foot monopole tower with a lightning rod topper at 5249 Olde Towne Road. The tower would be used to transmit microwave signals to the stations’ Barhamsville radio tower.
Currently Davis Media uses a T1 line, a combination underground and overhead data line operated by Verizon. In cases of inclement weather, the T1 line can fail because of the overhead portions. The proposed monopole would eliminate the need for the T1 line and would keep the radio stations on air despite weather conditions.
A contract exists between Davis Media and James City County relating to a 2006 purchase of a generator for the Barhamsville tower. James City County used Williamsburg Community Health Foundation grant funding to purchase the generator to keep the Davis Media tower on air during power outages, but that does not ensure the radio signal will be broadcast. Part of the contract allows James City County to broadcast emergency information over The Tide and Bach FM, which cannot happen if the radio station is down during weather events.
Additionally, the board will be considering a lease contract for the land on which the tower would be located. The land is part of the property where James City County’s Human Services Building is located; the property was gifted to the county as part of a 1980s deal between the Hornsby family and the county.
In lieu of payment for the lease, Davis Media offered the county the ability to break into broadcasts during emergencies to broadcast information — that is part of the already existing generator contract between Davis Media and James City County.
In a November interview, Davis Media President and CEO Tom Davis said the terms of the lease agreement were still being negotiated, but these terms are the same as what was discussed before the Planning Commission on Nov. 6.
Read a previous WYDaily story on the tower request.
The board will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Building F at 101 Mounts Bay Road. in the county government complex. Meetings are broadcast live online and on JCC TV 48. Meetings are rebroadcast on Community Channel 46 at 8 a.m., 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. every Thursday. The full meeting agenda is available online.
