Agenda - 10-05-94 - VIII-J - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

3 PROPOSED ORDINANCE AMENDMENT ORDINANCE: ZONING ORDINANCE REFERENCE: ARTICLE 8 .8 . 17 RADIO, TELEVISION, AND COMMUNICATIONS TOWERS, AND ELEVATED WATER STORAGE TANKS (CLASS B SPECIAL USE) ORIGIN OF AMENDMENT: _x_ Staff Planning Board BOCC Public Other: STAFF PRIORITY RECOMMENDATION: High Middle _x_ Low Comment: EXPECTED PUBLIC HEARING DATE: August 22, 1994 PURPOSE OF AMENDMENT: To add new requirements for additional information and standards of evaluation regarding communications towers to the Class B Special Use section. IMPACTS/ISSUES: The Zoning Ordinance does not presently address the location or number of communications towers in the County. 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. Four of these applications have been approved. The concerns raised deal directly with the number of towers and the reasons they cannot co-locate on an existing tower in the vicinity. Generally, loading capabilities, frequency incompatibility, and directional focusing of signals may keep towers from co-locating. In these cases towers would be needed to provide appropriate communications coverage. However, in some instances there may be situations where towers can co-locate. The proposed standards 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. If it is found to be feasible to lease space on an existing tower instead of erecting an additional tower, the number of towers in Orange County could be reduced. EXISTING AND PROPOSED AMENDMENT: 8.8.17 Radio,Television and Communication Towers, and Elevated Water Storage Tanks (Class B Special Use)