PH-NS ORD-1996-012 Proposed Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment - Telecommunication Towers

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104 and future residential use is not anticipated. Land area requirements, right-of- way width and road improvements may be more than is needed for an unmanned facility. In order to comply with State enabling legislation, property which is either purchased or leased on a long-term-basis must be subdivided in order to create it as a separate building lot. Property leased on a short-term basis, such a year- to-year, is not required to be subdivided. No ordinance revisions pertaining to this issue are needed. This concern can be addressed by informing applicants of the option to eliminate the subdivision requirement by for tower sites by obtaining a year-to-year lease rather than a long-term lease. 3. Stealth Application In some cases, communications equipment can be located on an existing or proposed structure which either serves another purpose altogether (such as a tall building or water tower) or is disguised to look like it serves another purpose (such as a tower in a rural area built to look like a silo). Other examples of stealth applications may include church steeples, clock towers, and observation towers. Permits are not required to place equipment on an existing structure. However, permit approval is generally required for the initial construction of most structures which would be of a sufficient height and strength to support the equipment. The Planning Staff recommends that stealth applications be encouraged because of the reduced visual impact. It is proposed that new towers up to 160 feet in height which are sufficiently disguise be approved administratively by the Planning Staff if the following criteria are met: • The primary purpose of the structure is, or visually appears to be, for something other than the support of telecommunications equipment, and the apparent purpose is customarily considered accessory to a use which is allowed in the zoning district. • The structure and its use comply with the Orange County Zoning Ordinance; and • For existing structures, the equipment does not extend more than 20 feet above the structure, or 10% of the height of the structure, whichever is greater,provided that height and setback limitations of the Zoning Ordinance are met.