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Sep 04.02 01:37p <br />t <br />American Tower Corp. <br />(704) 948 -8545 p.2 <br />72 <br />Mn w=ER <br />September 4, 2002 <br />VIA TELEFACSIMILE: (919) 644 -3002, <br />AND-HAND-DELIVERY <br />Orange County Planning Board <br />c/o Mr. Craig Benedict, Director <br />Planning & Inspections Dept. <br />306F Revere Rd. <br />Hillsborough, NC 27278 <br />Re: Proposed Telecommunication Tower Ordinance. <br />Dear Members of the Board and W. Benedict: <br />American Tower Corporation is one of the nation's largest wireless <br />communication infrastructure companies, with more than 14,000 telecommunication <br />facilities in our inventory, and 9 existing facilities in Orange County, NC. We have <br />established relationships with virtually every wireless provider in the country, allowing <br />us to aggressively market collocation space on these facilities. American Tower's <br />principle line of business is renting space on these facilities and providing related <br />services for a diverse range of wireless communications. These industries include <br />personal communications services, cellular, paging, two-way radio, specialized mobile <br />radio, enhanced 'specialized mobile radio, wireless local loop, LMDS and fixed <br />microwave, as well as radio and television broadcasters. <br />I am writing to comment on the proposed telecommunication facilities ordinance <br />currently under consideration by the Planning Board and the Orange County Board of <br />Commissioners. <br />My colleague, Ms. Elizabeth Hill of American Tower Corporation, appeared and <br />spoke to the joint meeting of these Boards on Monday, August 26. My comments here <br />are supplemental to those Ms. Hill has already provided. What follows are key points of <br />the proposed ordinance about which we are deeply concerned: <br />A. Application fee: The $10,000 application fee is, we believe, exorbitant. <br />Moroever, the proposed ordinance does not allow for a return of such <br />-fees as may be unused by the County and its consultants in a particular <br />case. We would ask that this fee be placed in an escrow account at the <br />time of payment, and drawn from as expenses accrue, with the balance <br />(if any) returned to the applicant at the conclusion of the review <br />process. <br />