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6.18.2 Telecommunications towers and equipment as principal or accessory uses <br />a) Telecommunications towers shall be permitted as a principal or accessory <br />use in ail districts in accordance with the provisions of this Ordinance~as <br />follows: <br />1) On property owned by the County or any public entity except <br />those designated as historic properties or sites. The County may, <br />in its sole discretion as the owner of the property, authorize the <br />application and use of County property after the applicant <br />executes a lease agreement acceptable to the County. <br />2) Telecommunications towers as part of existing utility poles shall <br />be permitted as an accessory use. Towers shall be constructed <br />as part of the existing. utility poles or as replacements for the <br />existing utility poles. No freestanding towers constructed <br />exclusively for personal wireless services shall be permitted within <br />utility easements. <br />3) The placement of a new telecommunications tower in any zoning <br />district must be approved as a Special Use, except as permitted in <br />the Master Telecommunications Plan ("Plan"). <br />b} Existing Telecommunications Towers. <br />1) Telecommunications equipment as accessory uses may be placed <br />on existing towers in accordance with the provisions of this <br />Ordinance. <br />2) Notwithstanding the above provisions of Section 6.18, <br />telecommunications towers in existence as of December 10, 2002, <br />may be replaced with a tower of equal or less visual impact after <br />approval by the County Planning Director or his/her designee. <br />However, if the proposed new tower would not be consistent with <br />the minimum standards under Section-6.18, replacement must be <br />approved as provided for in this Ordinance. <br />6.18.3 Antennas not located on telecommunications towers <br />a) Antenna types. To minimize adverse visual impacts, stealth antenna <br />types shall be preferred. If anon-stealth antenna is proposed, the <br />application shall be required to demonstrate, in a technical manner <br />acceptable to the Planning Director or his/her designee, why the stealth <br />antenna (i.e. an antenna incorporated into the architecture of the building <br />or fully screened from view from sight proximate to the antenna) cannot <br />be used for the particular application. This does not preclude a <br />combination of the various types of antennas. <br />1) Antenna dimensions. Antenna dimensions shall be subject. to <br />approval. by the Planning Director or his/her designee. A <br />statement shall be submitted, prepared by a professional engineer <br />competent to evaluate antenna choices, to certify the technical <br />need for the required dimensions. <br />6-25-g <br />