Loudoun County Communications Commission Meeting - October 27, 2026

The Loudoun County Communications Commission held a meeting that began on October 26, 2026, and concluded on October 27, 2026. The commission adopted the agenda and previous minutes without objection, heard no public comments, and focused on cross-commission outreach efforts, potential collaboration with Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS), and broadband connectivity challenges.

Consent Calendar

• The agenda was adopted as drafted without objection.
• The minutes of the September 28th meeting were adopted without objection, with a note from Commissioner Sustaining regarding their absence at the prior meeting.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No members of the public signed up to speak.

Discussion Items

• Cross-Commission Outreach: Chair reported on reaching out to five commissions:
  • Economic Development Advisory Commission: Call scheduled for October 28 with Chair Tim Shinbaro and staff.
  • Zoning Ordinance: Call scheduled for October 30 with Chair Michael Capretti, Vice Chair Tia Earman, and staff.
  • Planning Commission: Coffee scheduled for November 9 with Chair Cliff Pierce.
  • Rural Economic Development Council: Exchanges with Chair Jan Kernan; meeting postponed due to harvest season.
  • Economic Development Authority: No response via county portal; chair seeking staff assistance (Brian) to connect.
• Commissioners discussed standardizing folder structures and agenda/minutes organization across county boards to improve citizen access. This was identified as low-hanging fruit for collaboration.
• LCPS and Technology Initiatives: Commissioners debated engaging with the school board on topics such as device deployment, broadband access for students, and the recent ban on cell tower co-location on school property. LCPS staff representative noted e-rate funding cuts for hotspot allocation and bus Wi-Fi, shifts in device deployment strategy, and upcoming budget work sessions. The commission considered leveraging relationships with Board of Supervisors members to foster informal conversations with school board members, but noted the lack of direct oversight between bodies.
• Broadband and Wireless Gaps: The commission reviewed the history of unsuccessful efforts to address wireless coverage in western Loudoun, attributed to zoning restrictions, public resistance to towers, and regulatory hurdles. Commissioners suggested inviting tower infrastructure companies (e.g., Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile) to present their top permitting and zoning challenges. Commissioner Baby volunteered to coordinate such presentations to inform future discussions with the Planning and Zoning commissions.

Key Outcomes

• Chair to distribute recordings and materials from LCPS instructional technology meetings to commissioners.
• Commissioner Baby to reach out to tower companies to arrange a guest speaking slot at a future commission meeting.
• Brian to assist in establishing contact with the Economic Development Authority.
• The November and December meetings will be combined into a single meeting scheduled for December 7, 2026 (backup date December 14, 2026), pending room availability.
• The January 2027 meeting will include the election of a new chair and vice chair, as well as adoption of the 2027 meeting schedule.
• Action items were updated to include five outstanding tasks: the three from the prior meeting plus the two new items.