In March 2019, Trileaf Corporation (Trileaf) performed a cultural resource inventory survey for a proposed monopole tower telecommunication facility located in Clarke County, Athens, Georgia (Latitude: 33° 51’ 50.65” N Longitude: 83° 17’ 16.64” W). The project location is located within a wooded area. Verizon Wireless proposes the construction of a new monopole cell tower with a total height of 156 feet (47.5 meters). The new tower and associated equipment will be situated within a 100 x 100-foot (30.5 x 30.5 meter) cell tower lease area. A 30 x 120-foot (9.1 x 36.6 meter) access and utility easement will travel southeast linking the lease area to an existing gravel drive that extends northeast to Belmont Road. Total acreage of the new construction area is approximately 0.31 acres (0.13 Hectares). Senior Project Archaeologist Zach Horne, M.A., RPA, under the direction of Trileaf, performed this survey in response to the planned use of the above-described parcel and the potential impacts that such use might represent to archaeological and architectural cultural resources. The Phase I cultural resource survey was designed to discover all prehistoric and historical period cultural resources that might be present within the project area. The field survey of the project area, which included a pedestrian survey, shovel testing, and visual inspection, found no evidence for the presence of archaeological or architectural properties in relation to the current project area’s Direct APE. Additionally, no National Register of Historic Places (NRHP)-eligible or listed properties were identified within the project areas Direct or Visual APE. Based on these findings, Trileaf recommends No Historic Properties in both the Direct APE and the Visual APE. It is therefore recommended that project clearance be granted with no further investigation or evaluation of the project area relative to those resources.
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