North Pointe phase OK’d

PARKERSBURG - Wood County Planning Commission approved Phase I of the new North Pointe subdivision during its Wednesday night meeting.

There were no objections to the proposed 19-lot development in Union District, off West Virginia 2 along West Virginia 31 during a public hearing Wednesday night. Developers are William A. Gandee and William Fordyce. The subdivision is about 11 acres.

Developers said three homes have been constructed and foundations for two additional homes are under way.

The subdivision was earlier granted two variances: one on the plat map size and a second on the curb dimensions for the proposed development.

"The developers are in compliance with the other regulations," Bill Brown, county engineer, said.

The planning commission voted unanimously to approve Phase I of the subdivision contingent upon posting of a road bond, with the amount to be determined by Brown, and filing of the homeowners association documentation.

In other business, planners unanimously approved an application from nTelos for another cell tower in the Rockport area.

There were no comments on the proposed cell tower offered during a public hearing Wednesday night. The cell tower is to be constructed at 10591 Pond Creek Road.

Representatives of nTelos said there was only one residence in the rural area where the tower will be located and it is 475 feet away, and belongs to the property owner who is providing the cell tower site.

In August, the planning commission approved tower sites in Mineral Wells and another Rockport site. Officials with nTelos said Wednesday the other Rockport site proved unnecessary and was not constructed as the company was able to co-locate on another tower in that area.

This tower will be in the southernmost part of the county, about two miles from the Rockport exit. Planners were told it is needed to close a coverage service gap. The tower will be about 195 feet in height.

The planning commission agreed to grant variances on signs because the site location is on a private road in a rural area and for the requirement regarding landscaping because the cell tower will be in a wooded area.

"The company felt there would be no value to signage for the public because of the location, and the tower is to be screened by the existing treeline," Brown said.

Compliance officer John Reed reported he had looked into requiring performance bonds for cell towers.

"It was brought up at a previous meeting; some of the other counties do have this requirement, that a performance bond be posted if the tower is abandoned and the owner would not remove it," Reed said. The bond would provide funds for removal.

Planners agreed to explore the possibility of adding this requirement to the county's regulations.