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055 <br /> PROPOSED ORDINANCE AMENDMENT <br /> ORDINANCE: ZONING ORDINANCE <br /> REFERENCE: ARTICLE 8 .8 . 17 RADIO, TELEVISION, AND <br /> COMMUNICATIONS TOWERS, AND ELEVATED WATER STORAGE <br /> TANKS (CLASS B SPECIAL USE) <br /> ORIGIN OF AMENDMENT: _x_ Staff Planning Board <br /> BOCC Public <br /> Other: <br /> STAFF PRIORITY RECOMMENDATION: High Middle x Low <br /> Comment: <br /> EXPECTED PUBLIC HEARING DATE: August 22 , 1994 <br /> PURPOSE OF AMENDMENT: <br /> To add new requirements for additional information and standards <br /> of evaluation regarding communications towers to the Class B <br /> Special Use section. <br /> IMPACTS/ISSUES: <br /> The Zoning Ordinance does not presently address the location or <br /> number of communications towers in the County. The Orange County <br /> Board of Adjustment has grown increasingly concerned about the <br /> number of communications towers they have seen applications for <br /> recently. The Board has reviewed five Special Use applications <br /> for towers since 1990. Four of these applications have been <br /> approved. The concerns raised deal directly with the number of <br /> towers and the reasons they cannot co-locate on an existing tower <br /> in the vicinity. Generally, loading capabilities, frequency <br /> incompatibility, and directional focusing of signals may keep <br /> towers from co-locating. In these cases towers would be needed <br /> to provide appropriate communications coverage. However, in some <br /> instances there may be situations where towers can co-locate. <br /> The proposed standards would require an applicant to first look <br /> into co-locating on an existing tower and second where feasible <br /> to provide lease space on their tower for other users. <br /> If it is found to be feasible to lease space on an existing tower <br /> instead of erecting an additional tower, the number of towers in <br /> Orange County could be reduced. <br /> EXISTING AND PROPOSED AMENDMENT: <br />