AGENDA DATE: 1/15/2025
TITLE:
Title
Proposed Lease of a Portion of Yancey Community Center Property
BODY
SUBJECT/PROPOSAL/REQUEST: Public hearing to consider approval of a proposed Lease of a portion of land adjacent to the Yancey Community Center as a communications site
ITEM TYPE: Regular Action Item
STAFF CONTACT(S): Richardson, Dimock, Herrick, Culp, Strother, Inofuentes
PRESENTER (S): Jason Inofuentes
LEGAL REVIEW: Yes
REVIEWED BY: Jeffrey B. Richardson
BACKGROUND: Broadband access has been a priority for Albemarle County for more than a decade, particularly in rural and underserved areas of the County. The Albemarle Broadband Authority and the Broadband Accessibility and Affordability Office were established and empowered to engage in programs to achieve County-wide universal broadband access.
Southern Albemarle, including the communities of Esmont and Keene, and the Town of Scottsville, has long suffered from a lack of broadband access. Of the more than 5,000 locations in the County that will be served by a Virginia Telecommunications Initiative (VATI) project awarded in 2022, more than 1,700 are in Southern Albemarle.
Firefly Fiber Broadband, the VATI 2022 provider partner, has identified the need for a facility to house fiber switching equipment to serve residents near Keene and Esmont. Firefly staff evaluated County- and privately-owned properties in the area and identified the County-owned and -operated water treatment facility on Parcel 128A2-22 (7661 Porters Road) as an ideal placement for this facility. This facility is adjacent to the County-owned Yancey Community Center.
Firefly approached the County with a request to lease a 3,220 square-foot portion of the property (plus a temporary construction easement and land required for permanent erosion and sediment control facilities) for nominal rent of one dollar per year over an initial term for 50 years, renewable at the tenant's option for up to four successive 10-year terms. T...
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