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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. 19-6 <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: June 21, 1999 <br />SUBJECT: Telecommunications Towers /Site Management Consultant <br />DEPARTMENT: PLANNING <br />ATTACHMENT(S): <br />MetroSite Consultant Brochure <br />A. Summary of Service and Benefits <br />B. Telecommunications Executive Summary <br />C. Proposed Contract <br />D. Other related information <br />PUBLIC HEARING: No <br />INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Craig N. Benedict, Planning Director <br />TELEPHONE NUMBERS: - -ext. 2592 <br />Hillsborough 732 -8181 <br />Chapel Hill 968 -4501 <br />Durham 688 -7331 <br />Mebane 227 -2031 <br />PURPOSE: To approve the resolution to contract for consultant services to assist the County in <br />tower siting issues. <br />BACKGROUND: The Federal Telecommunications Act of 1996 made sweeping regulatory <br />changes to the siting of wireless communication towers and underground telecable facilities. In <br />brief, the Federal Government received billions of dollars in license fees to 'sell the airwaves' to <br />various telecommunication ('telco') providers in order to construct the 'information highway'. To <br />ease the implementation of the telco network, the Telco Act of 1996 preempted many local <br />government zoning controls. <br />As is evidenced by the number of tower installations and proposals in Orange County, tower <br />applications and their related public input is of growing importance and legal sensitivity. <br />Consultant companies in the telecommunication field now offer services to government to: a) <br />provide public information, b) review ordinances, c) create a grid system identifying potential <br />tower coverage sites, d) coordinate tower siting with the telco industry, and e) develop revenue <br />sources for leasing public properties. <br />MetroSite Management is such a firm and has been recommended by the North Carolina League <br />of Municipalities and the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners. <br />An executive summary and summary of service and benefits, and the brochure from the firm is <br />attached. A brief presentation of the firm's credentials and siting program was made at the <br />4/20/99 BOCC meeting. A representative of the company, Susan Rabold Bouton, will be <br />available for questions. <br />FINANCIAL IMPACT: The firm provides many services (items a,b,c,d) free of charge. The <br />compensation is solely derived from part of the lease value paid by the tower and/or <br />digital/cellular service provider .to the County for county -owned lands. <br />RECOMMENDATION(S): Administration Recommendation. The Manager recommends <br />approval of the contract and recommends that the Board authorize the Manager to sign the <br />contract on behalf of Orange County. <br />gAcraig \abste1co \6- 15 -99 \dg <br />