Loudoun County Communications Commission Meeting

Note on Date: The agenda and transcript indicate the meeting was held on Monday, October 28, 2024. However, the user has specified that the meeting took place on October 30, 2024. This summary reflects the user-provided date, but the discrepancy is noted for accuracy.

The meeting was called to order at 7:00 PM. The commission welcomed a new member, Tom Solitario, from the Leesburg district. The agenda was modified to include introductions. The minutes from September 30, 2024, were approved with minor corrections (one abstention, six yes). The meeting included updates on the Virginia Telecommunications Initiative (VATI) project, preparation for the 2024 Board of Supervisors (BoS) Commission Status Report, and discussion of next steps for wireless assessment.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of the agenda as amended (with introductions).
• Approval of the September 30, 2024, meeting minutes after a roll call vote: 6 yes, 1 abstain (Rich Bible).

Public Comments & Testimony

• One member of the public, Melissa, attended but did not make any comments beyond introducing herself.

VATI Update

• Dominion Energy (Ed Diggs): Presented the middle mile fiber progress. Out of 168 planned miles in Loudoun County, 88 miles are complete, 68 miles are under construction (with 25-30 miles expected to be complete by end of 2024), and 12 miles are on hold due to pending franchise agreements with the towns of Hamilton, Purcellville, Round Hill, and Hillsborough. Dominion has granted permission for All Points Broadband to attach to over 5,000 of approximately 8,800 poles. Ed Diggs noted that negotiations with the towns are ongoing, with a meeting scheduled within two weeks.
• All Points Broadband (Tom Innes): Provided an update on last-mile construction. The project aims to serve about 8,600 unserved locations with 700 miles of fiber. The first customer activation is targeted for December 2024 in an area northwest of Hillsborough (Loudoun 2, hub 0007), with approximately 64 locations initially. Tom Innes expressed 90% confidence in meeting the Q1 2025 milestones for Loudoun 2 and 4, and Q2 2025 for Loudoun 1, 3, and 5. The project is expected to be fully built out by October 2025. He discussed the mapping of fiber service areas, the poll attachment process, and the upcoming marketing mailers. The standard installation fee is $199, with no extra charge for long driveways (up to 1,000 feet underground; $2/foot beyond). Monthly pricing was not specified but will be included in a future presentation. All Points also plans to address 176 locations outside the VATI project through a separate RFP funded by the county.

Discussion: Preparation for 2024 BoS Commission Status Report

• The commission reviewed and revised the draft slide deck for the BoS report. Key points of discussion:
  • The deck should focus on the commission's activities (broadband progress) and the proposed shift to addressing wireless gaps.
  • The phrase "pro-wireless" was debated; some members preferred "pro-communications" or "pro-infrastructure." Ultimately, the deck was adjusted to avoid an overly promotional tone.
  • The commission agreed to remove a slide with detailed VATI statistics, as the board already receives that information directly from staff.
  • The final slide will present the commission's next steps: conducting an updated assessment of wireless needs, collaborating with staff to define scope, and potentially identifying funding for a third-party study if needed. The commission emphasized that this is an informational update, not a formal request for funding or action.
• The deck was approved by voice vote (all in favor) with the understanding that minor edits would be made by the chair (Ron) and vice chair (Jason) before submission to the county administrator by end of business the next day.

Key Outcomes

• VATI Project: The first customer activation is confirmed for December 2024 in Loudoun 2. The commission will receive a follow-up update in February 2025 after the initial launch.
• BoS Status Report: The deck was approved as amended. It will be submitted for the November Finance Committee meeting and likely placed on the December consent agenda for the full Board of Supervisors.
• Next Meeting: The next commission meeting is scheduled for December 2, 2024, at 7:00 PM in person (with hybrid option available upon request). The usual November and December meetings are combined.
• Action Items: A new action item was added to clarify the policy for providing presentation materials to commissioners in advance of meetings. The existing action item on mapping resources (from July) was marked complete.
• Wireless Assessment: The commission will proceed with planning an assessment of wireless coverage gaps, working with staff to determine scope and potential costs. No formal request for funding was made.