Application to DHCD Submitted through CAMS County of Frederick, Virginia Frederick County Broadband Expansion Apple Pie Ridge Application ID: 64508282019074803 Application Status: Pending Program Name: Virginia Telecommunications Initiative 2020 Organization Name: County of Frederick, Virginia Organization Address: 107 N. Kent Street Winchester, VA 22601 Profile Manager Name: Jay Tibbs Profile Manager Phone: (540) 665-6382 Profile Manager Email: [email protected] Project Name: Frederick County Broadband Expansion Apple Pie Ridge Project Contact Name: Allen Varner Project Contact Phone: (540) 722-8261 Project Contact Email: [email protected] Project Location: 107 N. Kent St. Winchester, VA 22601-5039 Project Service Area: Frederick County Total Requested Amount: $997,171.00 Required Annual Audit Status: No Current Audits Found 9/4/2019 11:01:25 AM Pages: 1 of 18 Application to DHCD Submitted through CAMS County of Frederick, Virginia Frederick County Broadband Expansion Apple Pie Ridge Budget Information: Cost/Activity Category DHCD Request Other Funding Total Telecommunications $997,171.00 $332,390.00 $1,329,561.00 Construction $997,171.00 $332,390.00 $1,329,561.00 Total: $997,171.00 $332,390.00 $1,329,561.00 Budget Narrative: The proposed project represents a partnership between Comcast and Frederick County. Comcast, the co-applicant, upon award of the VATI grant, will be responsible for any matching funds and will provide the labor and materials to complete the provision of services to the area delineated in the attached map. Comcast will provide approximately 25% of the projected construction costs of $1,329,561, totaling approximately $332,390. Frederick County will assist in providing in -kind contributions including application analysis and preparation, coordination with the Department of Housing and Community Development, assistance with right of way permitting, and participating in further concert with Comcast as the project is approved and construction begins. The value of these services will depend on the level of activity occurring as the project commences. Questions and Responses: 1. Project Area Explain why and how the project area(s) was selected. Describe theproposed geographic area including specific boundaries of the project area (e.g. street names, local and regional boundaries, etc.). Attach a copy of the map of your project area(s). Label map: Attachment 1 –Project Area Map. Answer: The geographic area for this proposed project is in the Apple Pie Ridge area of Frederick County. The eligible project area includes the area north of Apple Pie Ridge Road and Songbird Lane, Cottonwood Drive and its secondary streets, Ashland Drive and Hannah Court, portions of Old Baltimore Road, Lavender Hills Lane and Bronze Manor Court, portions of Green Springs Road and its secondary streets, Warm Springs Road and its secondary streets, White Hall Road to Cedar Hill Road and its secondary streets, and Mara Lane. The project area was selected after consultation between the co-applicants to review the needs of the County’s residents and the extent of the existing Comcast service. The project area as identified meets the eligibility criteria established by the Virginia General Assembly and the Department of Housing and Community Development (“DHCD”) for a Virginia Telecommunication Initiative (“VATI”) award. Attachments: Attachment 1 - Project Area Map.pdf 2. 9/4/2019 11:01:25 AM Pages: 2 of 18 Application to DHCD Submitted through CAMS County of Frederick, Virginia Frederick County Broadband Expansion Apple Pie Ridge Describe your outreach efforts to identify existing providers in the selected project area. Provide a detailed explanation of how this information was compiled and the source(s). Provide a map and list of all existing providers (fixed and wireless) and speeds offered within the project area. Label Map: Attachment 2 – Existing Provider Map; label documentation: Attachment 3 – Documentation on CAF Funding Area. Answer: Frederick County used several sources to identify the unserved areas of the County. These sources are: 1. Frederick County Broadband Study 2013 (Center for Innovative Technology CIT) – A broadband study for Frederick County and the City of Winchester was conducted in 2013 by the Center for Innovative Technology (CIT), Virginia Tech, and The Center for Geospatial Information Technology. The 2013 study noted that Frederick County has several significant coverage gaps, which still exist today. Additionally, the study identified the existing providers in specific areas of the county. The rural nature of the County has been challenging for providers to create a business case to reach the less densely populated, unserved areas. 2. The County used the Federal Communications Commission’s Fixed Broadband Deployment portal to identify potential providers as well. 3. Along with our public notification of intent to apply for the Virginia Telecommunications Initiative Grant, we asked citizens in the proposed area to contact us to provide comments and perform a speed test of their current connection, if any. Those that have access to the Internet use a mix of wireless Internet service providers and satellite-based Internet. The overwhelming majority of citizens reported speed test results under the 10Mbps threshold set by DHCD for the VATI requirements. 4. The County used current local GIS data on existing telecom companies and Cable Franchise zones to further the list of potential providers. Frederick County contacted multiple fixed broadband providers in our jurisdiction to gauge interest in partnering with Frederick County on the VATI Grant. Comcast expressed interest and had infrastructure closest to the proposed area. 5. The County sent out a notice of intent to apply for the VATI Grant through our local newspaper, social media, and the County website. Additionally, as we received comments from citizens, we asked those citizens to contact their neighbors and have them contact the County. We created an email account to track citizen correspondence for the current grant cycle and for future grant requests Attachments: Attachment 2 - Existing Provider Map.pdf, Attachment 3 - Documentation on CAF Funding Area.pdf 3. Project Need/Description To be eligible for VATI, applicants must demonstrate that the proposed project area(s) is unserved. An unserved area is defined as an area with speeds of 10 Mbps / 1 Mbps or less and with less than 10 percent service overlap within the project area. Describe any anticipated service overlap with current providers within the project area. Provide specific information as to how you determined the percentage overlap. Label Attachment: Attachment 4 – 9/4/2019 11:01:25 AM Pages: 3 of 18 Application to DHCD Submitted through CAMS County of Frederick, Virginia Frederick County Broadband Expansion Apple Pie Ridge Documentation Unserved Area VATI Criteria. Answer: The proposed project area is unserved based on data available through the Federal Communications Commission’s publicly available Form 477 and direct information from broadband providers. Comcast and Frederick County anticipate no service overlap within the project area as there are no current providers that would declassify the section. While the attached map of FCC Form 477 data shows several providers offering Internet service in the census blocks encompassing the project area, Frederick County has verified that none of these providers offer service that would result in classifying the project area as served according to the VATI guidelines. Further, based on the sources identified above, the project area is unserved. Comcast is the closest provider that offers broadband service at speeds in excess of the VATI threshold. As noted, if wireless or satellite service is available, that service is provided at speeds less than 10 Mbps / 1 Mbps. Attachments: Attachment 4 - Documentation Unserved Area VATI Criteria.pdf, Attachment 14 - Form 477 Submitted by Comcast.pdf 4. Provide the number of residential serviceable units in the project area(s). Describe the eligible premises that will be served by the proposed project and the basis for these projections. Answer: Frederick County does not have an independent population estimate, however 2017 U.S. Census Bureau data show the population of the census tract 502 encompassing the Apple Pie Ridge was approximately 701. There is a total of 313 residential and commercial locations within the proposed service area in Frederick County. The number of locations was determined after a physical “walk out” of the area around Apple Pie Ridge Road. The “walk out” was performed by Comcast. Comcast proposes to expand its network so that each of these 313 locations is serviceable without a customer contribution. In addition, upon completion of this project, Comcast customers who subscribe to an Xfinity Internet package will have access to Xfinity WiFi hotspots, including those that would be newly added to the Apple Pie Ridge area, for no additional cost. Moreover, these Apple Pie Ridge area customers would be able to access any of Comcast’s hotspots throughout Virginia and across the country. Comcast has the country’s largest WiFi network, including more than 19 million hotspots nationwide and over 600,000 in Virginia. Even non-subscribers of Xfinity Internet can gain WiFi hotspot access using a WiFi On Demand pass. Frederick County worked with the Frederick County Public School Planner to identify the number of families with children receiving free or reduced lunch through the National