On November 1, 2021, ERM archaeologists Rin Gaubatz and Price Laird conducted a site visit at Ellington Airline Rd and Gays Circle in Dearing, McDuffie County, Georgia for a proposed communications project. The site visit was conducted under the direction of ERM archaeologist/architectural historian Emily Laird. The project consists of proposed satellite access node (SAN) facility with an overall height not to exceed 20-feet and total footprint of approximately 3051-sqft. including the compound and access/utility easement. The direct Area of Potential Effects (APE) is considered to be the project footprint with potential for ground disturbance. The visual APE is considered to be a 500-ft. buffer from the proposed project location. The APE buffer size was determined in consultation with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Historic Preservation Division (HPD) and based on the overall structure height not to exceed 20 feet (Appendix F, HPD Interim Small Cell Policy).
The proposed project is situated within a maintained lot on the corner of Ellington Airline Road and Gays Circle. The lot is vacant but for a small cinder block structure with steel doors. The building has no signage, but may be associated with the AT&T fiber optic cable which had been flagged across the lot. The surrounding viewshed, including the visual APE, consists predominantly of residential areas and, to a lesser extent, residential and commercial properties. Photographs of the site area and viewshed can be found in Appendix C.
No newly or previously recorded historic properties or archaeological sites listed or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) were located within the direct or visual APEs. Furthermore, there are no previously surveyed structures within the direct or visual APEs. No previous cultural resource surveys appear to have been conducted within 500 ft. of the proposed project location.
In conclusion, there are no historic properties or archaeological sites within the direct APE. Furthermore, there are no historic properties within the visual APE. ERM recommends that the proposed project be allowed to proceed without further consideration of cultural resources.
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