Orange County NC Website
9 <br /> Response to November 27, 1995 Public Hearing Comments (see attached minutes) <br /> 1. Minimizing the Number of New Towers <br /> A major concern of industry representatives was related to the proposed means <br /> by which we would assure that adequate provision had been made to minimize <br /> the number of new towers by sharing space on existing or new towers. <br /> F=n__coraging Use Of Existing Towers <br /> The Zoning Ordinance now requires that efforts to locate on an existing tower <br /> be documented. There are no standards, however, by which to evaluate the <br /> documentation provided. <br /> Proposed Documentation Process: The amendment presented for <br /> public hearing in November, 1995 included a requirement that the <br /> applicant send letters to all tower owners within one mile of the <br /> proposed site requesting information such as availability of lease space, <br /> and tower height and strength. Also required was a copy of responses <br /> received. One concern raised was that the applicant must rely on the <br /> tower owner's response to requests for information, and delays could <br /> result if the tower owner did not prepare the needed information in a <br /> timely manner. The proposed wording was thought to place an implicit <br /> burden of responsibility on the owners of existing towers to provide <br /> detailed engineering and other information, upon the demand of <br /> potential applicants, which could be time-consuming and costly. <br /> The proposed revision continues to require submittal of information <br /> concerning availability of space to lease, and tower height and strength <br /> as was proposed in the initial draft. However, specific requirements as <br /> to how communication between the applicant and the tower owner is to <br /> occur are eliminated. The applicant must contact tower owners in order <br /> to obtain the needed information, however, the proposed revision <br /> focuses on the outcome of that contact,rather than the process. <br /> Location ion of Towers Considered for Possible Co-location: Typically, <br /> the range within which a new tower can perform its function within the <br /> communications network is on the order of 1/4 mile from the proposed <br /> site. There is some variability, however, depending on factors such as <br /> the tower height and topography. <br /> The area within which towers must be identified and evaluated is <br /> proposed to be at least 1 mile for towers 200 feet or taller(as originally <br /> proposed) and one-half mile for towers shorter than 200 feet. In <br /> addition, the applicant must provide an engineer's certification <br /> indicating the widest range from the proposed site within which the <br /> equipment could perform. <br />