Bedford County officials OK permit for wireless research tower

BEDFORD — The Bedford County Board of Supervisors voted Monday to approve a zoning permit allowing a technologies research tower to locate in the New London Business and Technology Center on U.S. 460.

The Center for Advanced Engineering and Research in Lynchburg applied for the permit for research purposes. The permit allows the tower to extend up to 120 feet but it is planned for 109 feet, according to engineers.

The tower would be used in the research and testing of wireless technologies and is not for cellular coverage purposes. It is part of the center’s plan to build a new regional research facility within the park, which is located several miles east of the city of Bedford.

Bob Bailey, executive director, said the facility’s research would be industry and university-related with Virginia Tech, the University of Virginia, Liberty University and James Madison University utilizing it.

“We’re in the process of building those partnerships,” Bailey told supervisors, adding that Virginia Tech would be the tower’s primary user.

Several speakers supported the tower’s location in the park during a joint public hearing with the Bedford County Planning Commission. After the commission recommended its approval, supervisors voted unanimously with one member absent to allow the permit.

“Hopefully this will create economic development for companies who are in this region,” said Supervisor Dale Wheeler.

Bailey said bids would be accepted Oct. 6 for facility construction, and groundbreaking is planned for November. The completion date is targeted for November 2010, he said.

In other business:

- Supervisors approved a resolution appointing Supervisor Annie Pollard and Mary Zirkle, chief of planning, to represent Bedford County on an economic development consortium of stakeholders in Explore Park to determine its path and future. The park, which is located in Roanoke and Bedford counties, closed several years ago. The Virginia Recreational Facilities Authority, which has ownership, is considering future uses of the property. The board also voted Tuesday to pass a resolution seeking to have Pollard represent the county on the authority.