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