The Save Historic Antietam Foundation (SHAF) is urging members and the public to oppose an appeal seeking approval for a 199-foot cell tower in a designated Preservation Zone bordering Antietam National Battlefield.
The appeal, Case #AP2025-031, requests a special exception to construct the tower at 5404 Mondell Road, Sharpsburg, just north of town and directly opposite the Reel Farm. The Washington County Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) will hold a public hearing on January 7, 2026, in Hagerstown to consider the proposal.
Documentation submitted by the applicant—including their own visual impact analysis—shows the tower would be visible from multiple locations within Antietam National Battlefield, including the Bloody Lane observation tower and surrounding ground-level viewpoints. SHAF considers this visual intrusion unacceptable and inconsistent with preservation standards for one of the nation’s most important historic landscapes.
Why This Proposal Should Be Denied
SHAF encourages opponents of the tower to raise the following concerns in written and in-person comments:
- Visual Intrusion on the Battlefield: The applicant’s own survey confirms the tower would be visible from several areas of Antietam National Battlefield.
- Preservation Zone Precedent: Granting this exception in a Preservation Zone could open the door to future incompatible development.
- Flawed Visual Impact Study: While incomplete, the submitted analysis still demonstrates visibility from high ground within the battlefield.
- Reasonable Alternatives Exist: The existing Sharpsburg water tower already hosts antennas and could accommodate additional services.
- Conflict with County Protections: The site lies near a Washington County Overlay Zone intended to discourage commercial development near the battlefield.
- Broader Historic Impact: The tower would also affect the Sharpsburg National Register Historic District and other nearby historic properties.
How to Take Action
Written public comments are being accepted through January 5, 2026.
Please reference Case #AP2025-031 in all correspondence.
Submit comments by email:
krathvon@washco-md.net
Or by mail:
Katie Rathvon
747 Northern Ave.
Hagerstown, MD 21742
The Board of Zoning Appeals will also hear in-person testimony on January 7, 2026. SHAF representatives will attend, and community members are strongly encouraged to join us and add their voices in opposition.
Preserving the historic viewshed of Antietam is a shared responsibility. Now is the time to speak up.
