Cellular Tower
A tower constructed for or an existing structure that has been adapted for the location of transmission antennae or related equipment to be used in the provision of cellular telecommunications services or personal communications services.
For assistance with development of a commercial project, please contact the Department of Economic Development via info@ecalvert.com.
Required Permit Applications and Forms
| Requirement | More Information | Link(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Critical Area | Cellular Towers within the Critical Area require a Critical Area Worksheet. The law identifies "Critical Area" as all lands within 1,000 ft. of the mean high water line of tidal waters, or the landward edge of tidal wetlands, and all waters on (and lands under) the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. |
Critical Area Worksheet |
| Building Permit | Cellular Tower construction requires a Commercial Building permit. | Commercial Building permit |
| Electrical Permit | Cellular Tower electrical work requires an Electrical permit submitted by a licensed master electrician. | Electrical permit |
| Grading Permit | Cellular Towers with soil disturbance of 5,000 square feet or greater AND/OR cut and fill volume total exceeding 100 cubic yards require a Grading permit. NOTE: Grading permits will require mitigation of stormwater in accordance with MDE. A Declaration of Restrictive Covenants (DoRC) form will be required for county inspection of stormwater devices. |
Grading permit |
| Water Sewer Permit | Cellular Towers where the property is served by public water and/or public sewer require a Water Sewer permit. | Water Sewer permit Water Sewer Department webpage |
| Historic Permit | Cellular Towers where the property is a designated Calvert County Historic District require a Historic Area Work permit. | Historic Area Work permit, HAWP Instructions |
| Environmental Health Department Review | Properties served by well and/or septic will require an Environmental Health (EH) Department review. Please see item 8 on the attached Building Permit FAQ page for a general list of setback requirements. Percolation testing and/or a Sanitary Construction permit application may be necessary contingent on the property and the proposal. Please note that by submitting a building permit application our office is granted permission to conduct site visit(s) as necessary at our discretion to facilitate the review of the project. If the proposed structure is external, please stake it out onsite to avoid delays in review time. If you need assistance locating the well and/or septic systems, you may fill out a Public Information Request Form to obtain the property's file. |
- Building Permit FAQ |
Plan Submittal Requirements
The following information must be submitted with applicable permit application(s):
Other Potential Requirements
| Requirement | More Information | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Beach Application Approval | IF the property is located in the town limits of Chesapeake Beach or North Beach, a Beach Application Approval is required to be submitted with the Building Permit Package. | Chesapeake Beach North Beach |
| Property Owner's Association Approval | IF the property has a Property Owner's Association (POA), POA approval may be required prior to construction. Property owners should consult their POA. | N/A |
| Agricultural Preservation Approval | IF the property is located in an Agricultural Preservation District, Agricultural Preservation Advisory Board approval may be required prior to permit issuance. Use this interactive map to see if you are in the Agricultural Preservation District. |
Agricultural Preservation Advisory Board website |
| County Road Access Bond | IF the project is proposing a new entrance onto a county road, a Residential Road Access Bond may be required. The refundable bond is $600. Commercial fees require a cost estimate. | N/A |
| State Road Access | IF the project is proposing a new entrance onto a state road, a State Highway Administration (SHA) Entrance Permit is required. Certification of Entrance Approval is required prior to final grading approval. | MD SHA Access Permit Application |
| Forest Conservation/Forest Stand | IF clearing of the property is on a lot more than 40,000 sq. ft. in size, a Forest Conservation Worksheet (FC), Forest Stand Delineation (FS), and Forest Conservation Plan are required. An exemption may waive these requirements. | FC Worksheet & FS Delineation |
| Maryland Dept. of the Environment Notice of Intent | IF clearing of the property is greater than one acre or involves environmental features governed by Maryland Dept. of the Environment (MDE), a Notice of Intent filed with the MDE is required. | MDE website |