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1 <br />One such property is the Orange County Solid Waste Convenience Center located off of Walnut <br />Grove Church Road. (Note Attachment 2, "Site Illustration ", which locates the Convenience Center <br />site and the proposed tower location). The County took action in 2011 to place this site on the Plan <br />and began to market the area for the location of a telecommunication facility. <br />This Walnut Grove parcel was purchased with Solid Waste Enterprise funds for the newly <br />constructed solid waste convenience center and to provide a future site for emergency storm <br />debris. Only 4.3 acres is usable for storm debris and an adjacent parcel would need to be <br />purchased for the Walnut Grove location to become a suitable long -term emergency storm <br />debris site. Solid Waste staff did not recommend the Walnut Grove location as an emergency <br />storm debris site in 2012. The monthly rent of $1,800 plus any addition income from co- location <br />agreements from subleases will be paid to the Solid Waste Enterprise Fund. <br />American Tower and AT &T have been working with the County Attorney, Asset Management <br />Services, and Planning to erect a tower on this site to address existing service deficiencies. The <br />presence of this tower in this location will dramatically improve communications services in the area <br />surrounding the site. <br />Based on real property provisions detailed in North Carolina General Statutes, the Board is <br />required to conduct a public hearing prior to consideration of the proposed lease. The lease <br />allows for multiple communications services to co- locate on the tower, including local, state and <br />federal emergency services assets. The tower height will be approximately 191 feet. <br />Should the Lease be approved, the tower will be constructed over the next several months and <br />operational no later than March 2014. <br />FINANCIAL IMPACT: Over the initial nine year Lease term and optional renewals, American <br />Tower will pay the County $1,800 per month. The monthly rental rate will increase three <br />percent (3 %) annually. American Tower will also pay the County 25% of the value of the rent of <br />each of the tower's subleases. All income generated by the Lease will be directed to the Solid <br />Waste Enterprise fund for enterprise fund purposes including but not limited to landfill post - <br />closure costs. <br />RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends the Board: <br />1. Conduct a public hearing on a potential Ground Lease Agreement with American <br />Towers, LLC, for the purpose of constructing and maintaining a communications <br />tower in northern Orange County; <br />2. Consider approving a Ground Lease Agreement with American Towers, LLC, for the <br />purpose of constructing and maintaining a communications tower in northern Orange <br />County; and <br />3. Contingent on Board approval, authorize the Chair to execute all necessary <br />documents to effectuate the Lease upon final review of the County Attorney. <br />