Orange County NC Website
4 <br />Stealth or Stealth Technology - Technology or practice intended to minimize <br />adverse aesthetic and visual impacts on the land, property, buildings, and other <br />equipment adjacent to, surrounding, and in generally the same area as the <br />requested location of such wireless telecommunications towers and equipment, <br />which shall mean using the least visually and physically intrusive tower and/or <br />equipment that is not technologically or commercially impracticable under the <br />facts and circumstances. <br />Stealth Facility - Any stealth telecommunication tower or equipment which is <br />designed using stealth technology to blend into the surrounding environment. <br />Examples of stealth facilities include architecturally screened roof-mounted <br />antennas, antennas integrated into architectural elements, and <br />telecommunication and/or personal wireless services towers designed to look like <br />light poles, power poles or trees. <br />Telecommunication Equipment- Equipment which is located either upon a <br />telecommunication tower or a structure and includes some form of antenna for <br />the purpose of transmitting and receiving wireless services. <br />Telecommunications Tower - A guyed, monopole or self-support/lattice tower, <br />constructed as a free-standing structure containing one (1) or more antennas, <br />used in the provision of wireless services excluding radar towers, amateur radio <br />support structures licensed by the FCC, private home use of satellite dishes and <br />television receiving antennas and satellite earth stations installed in accordance <br />with applicable codes. <br />Telecommunications Tower, Stealth - A telecommunication tower designed <br />using stealth technology such that its primary purpose is, or visually appears to <br />be, something other than the support of telecommunications equipment, the <br />apparent purpose of the tower is customarily considered as accessory to a use <br />that is allowed in the zoning district, and the structure and its primary use comply <br />with the Orange County Zoning Ordinance. <br />Unforeseen Events - Condemnations of existing telecommunications towers for <br />road projects, casualty of existing telecommunications towers, blocking of signals <br />from new construction necessitating a relocation of a telecommunication tower, <br />or the need to replace an existing telecommunication tower for capacity issues, <br />or for other reasons deemed necessary by the County Planning Director or <br />his/her designee. <br />Whip Antenna - A cylindrical antenna that transmits and/or receives signals in <br />three hundred sixty (360) degrees. <br />6.18.1 Administrative Approval of Stealth Telecommunications towers and <br />Telecommunication Eauipment <br />New stealth telecommunications towers up to 75 feet in height, which are <br />sufficiently disguised so as to minimize visual impact, may be approved <br />administratively by the Planning Staff provided that all of the provisions contained <br />in Article 8.8.17a are met. <br />The placement of telecommunication equipment on existing structures may be <br />approved administratively as provided for in this ordinance. <br />