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Item 7.a. <br />Orange County & NCDOT Highway Luncheon Meeting Notes <br />Division 7 and District 1 <br />March 29, 2017 12:00 p.m. <br />  <br />  <br />John M. Link, Jr. Government Services Center <br />Lower Level Meeting Room, 200 South Cameron Street, Hillsborough <br />I. INTRODUCTIONS <br /> <br />Present: Mark Dorosin, Orange County Commissioner, Chair; Commissioner <br />Penny Rich, Vice-Chair; Commissioner Barry Jacobs; Chuck Edwards, NCDOT <br />District Engineer; Mike Mills, NCDOT Division Engineer; John Howell, NCDOT <br />Highway Maintenance Engineer; Dawn McPherson, NCDOT Traffic Engineer; <br />Bonnie Hammersley, Orange County Manager; Travis Myren, Orange County <br />Deputy Manager; Craig Benedict, Orange County Planning Director; Tom Altieri, <br />Orange County Comprehensive Planning Supervisor; Abigaile Pittman, Orange <br />County Land Use/Transportation Planner; Max Bushell, Orange County <br />Transportation Planner; Rich Shaw, Orange County DEAPR; Margaret Hauth, <br />Town of Hillsborough Planning Director; Tom Stevens, Town of Hillsborough <br />Mayor. <br /> <br />Commissioner Mark Dorosin, Chair welcomed all and introductions were made. <br /> <br />II. DISCUSSIONS <br />a) NCDOT Requirements for Non-Utility Communications or Data Transmission <br />Infrastructure (Chuck Edwards) <br /> <br />Chuck Edwards stated that NCDOT has had requests for Wi-Fi or cell nodes <br />equipment to repeat cell signals, to be installed on top of poles in the right-of- <br />way. To date, these requests have been in the Chapel Hill and Carrboro area, <br />and pole heights have ranged from 35-50 feet. The Raleigh NCDOT office <br />has developed policy guidelines for granting the required encroachment <br />agreements. The equipment is being requested for both existing poles and <br />new poles. Some local jurisdictions have had some concerns however due to <br />pole locations and heights, and possible conflicts with local zoning <br />regulations. NCDOT is seeking to understand and consider local concerns, <br />including any from Orange County, and to facilitate discussions regarding any <br />actions that might be needed to taken locally (e.g., zoning ordinance revisions <br />or policy revisions). Craig Benedict stated that the County ordinance does not <br />address telecommunication poles in the right-of-way and an amendment <br />might be needed to the language in the County’s ordinance that states what <br />can be located within the right-of-way. Chuck Edwards stated that NCDOT <br />would copy Planning on applications received. Margaret Hauth stated that <br />Hillsborough has also received some applications. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> 43