Agenda - 08-22-1994 - C-3 (b) - Laserfiche WebLink

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ORANGE COUNTY 053 BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: August 22, 1994 Action Agenda Item if C 3 h SUBJECT: ZONING ORDINANCE TEXT AMENDMENT (Article 8.8.17 Radio, Television and Communication Towers, and Elevated Water Storage Tanks (Class B Special Use) DEPARTMENT: PLANNING PUBLIC HEARING X Yes No ATTACHMENT(S) : INFORMATION CONTACT: Eddie Kirk Ext. 2582 Proposed Amendment Map of Cellular Tower Sites TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Hillsborough - 732-8181 Durham - 688-7331 Mebane - 227-2031 Chapel Hill - 967-9251 PURPOSE: To receive citizen comment on a proposed amendment of the Zoning Ordinance to add new requirements for additional information and standards of evaluation regarding communications towers. BACKGROUND: The Orange County Board of Adjustment has grown increasingly concerned about the number of communications towers they have seen applications for recently. The Board has reviewed five Special Use applications for towers since 1990. The concerns relate to the number of towers and the reasons they cannot co-locate on an existing tower in the vicinity. Generally there are good reasons why towers cannot co-locate, i.e. , loading capabilities, frequency incompatibility, and directional focusing of signals. However, in some instances there may be situations where towers can co-locate. The proposed amendments would require an applicant to first look into co-locating on an existing tower and second where feasible to provide lease space on their tower for other users. RECOMMENDATION: Article 20.3 of the Zoning Ordinance requires that the Zoning Officer's recommendation be presented to the Planning board within 30 days of receipt of an application. However, Article 20.4 exempts any application for amendments to the zoning Ordinance by