Excerpt from the Capital Gazette:
The historic St. Anne’s Church steeple rising above downtown Annapolis could soon become a little more technologically advanced.
The church has applied to install eight AT&T cell phone antennae in the tower of the prominent Church Circle building — but the installation would require a change. Wooden-slatted louvers in the tower walls block radio frequency. The installation would require the church to swap the wooden-slatted ventilation louvers for a composite material, which will require Historic Preservation Commission approval.
The composite allows radio frequency to more freely enter the tower and allow AT&T to comply with the Federal Communications Commission-set frequency minimum.
The proposed composite can be made to look like wood, according to the church application.
The wooden slats would be removed and stored for a time when the composite slats are no longer needed. The removal and replacement would cost $85,000, according to the application.
The Historic Preservation Commission will host a public hearing Dec. 12 regarding changes to St. Anne’s Church tower. The hearing will be at 7 p.m. in City Council chambers.
