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Persistent cellular dead zones across Vienna and nearby parts of Fairfax County are pushing town leaders to consider taller antennas, more public sites for equipment and a faster approval process.
Residents and businesses have reported weak or unavailable service in several areas, including Mill Street NE, Dominion Road NE, the Northside property yard at 600 Mill Street and near Navy Federal Credit Union’s headquarters on Follin Lane SE.
During a May 11 work session, town staff and wireless industry representatives told the Vienna Town Council that improving coverage may require taller installations and a reduced role for the Board of Architectural Review in evaluating projects.
Garrett McGuire, AT&T’s regional director of external affairs, said carriers decide where to build based on customer demand and whether local governments can approve applications promptly. Wireless projects are typically planned within three- to five-year budget cycles, he said, while building a tower can take 12 to 18 months even under favorable conditions.
That timeline includes zoning and permitting reviews, fiber installation and electrical connections. McGuire said AT&T has struggled to secure quick approvals in Vienna and accused the architectural review board of repeatedly imposing new requirements.
Representatives of T-Mobile and tower developer Milestone Towers raised similar concerns.
Councilmember Roy Baldwin, who chaired the architectural review board from 2021 through 2023, challenged that criticism. He noted that the board has not denied an application in recent years and questioned whether AT&T had abandoned a proposal merely because members requested changes during a work session.
McGuire denied that characterization. He said the company had continued redesigning its application after an October meeting to address the town’s recommendations, but that the revisions were prolonging the process.
Town staff outlined several possible responses. The council could allow administrative approval of installations shorter than 50 feet, revise height restrictions in certain locations, reconsider the architectural review board’s authority or offer more town-owned property to wireless carriers.
A planned installation at Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church, 8601 Wolftrap Road outside Vienna’s boundaries, could alleviate some coverage problems, Milestone Towers project manager Matt Forkas said.
Town Attorney Steven Briglia also cautioned that federal law requires localities to review wireless proposals quickly and approve them in most circumstances. Although Vienna retains zoning authority, he said, the Telecommunications Act of 1996 prevents local governments from blocking the deployment of cellular facilities. Wireless companies, however, are not required to provide service to every location.
Virginia has also narrowed local control over some projects. The General Assembly passed HB 277 earlier this spring, and Gov. Abigail Spanberger signed it into law. Sponsored by Del. Holly Siebold, whose district includes Vienna, the measure restricts localities’ ability to reject certain carrier applications, particularly those involving changes to existing facilities or installations within 30 feet of previously approved equipment.
The Senate approved the bill unanimously, while the House passed it 90-7. McGuire, elected in January to represent the Franconia area in the 17th House District, abstained from the vote. As of January 2026, he was no longer registered as an AT&T lobbyist in Virginia.
Planning and Zoning Director David Levy said Vienna has the lowest maximum antenna heights among nearby jurisdictions. The town has historically allowed equipment to extend roughly nine feet above an existing building.
On Maple Avenue, where buildings can reach 35 feet, that interpretation creates a 44-foot limit. In Corporate Park, a 45-foot building could support an installation reaching 54 feet.
Councilmember Doug Francis urged the town to act quickly, saying carriers may have largely passed over Vienna because of its small size. Rather than develop standards from scratch, he suggested adapting rules already used in places such as Napa, California, and Charlottesville, Virginia, covering features including height, color and silhouette.
Levy said staff would return to the council in June or July with options and would work to accelerate the process.