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Article 5: Uses <br /> Section 5.10: Standards for Telecommunication Facilities <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Orange County, North Carolina – Unified Development Ordinance Page 5-93 <br /> <br />North Carolina Building Code, and any associated regulations; and <br />describes the tower's capacity, including an example of the number and <br />type of antennas it can accommodate. <br />(4) Standards of Evaluation <br />(a) The telecommunications equipment planned for the proposed wireless <br />support structures cannot be accommodated on an existing wireless <br />support structures due to one or more of the following reasons: <br />(i) The planned equipment would exceed the structural capacity of <br />existing and approved wireless support structures, considering <br />existing and planned use of those wireless support structures <br />and the wireless support structures cannot be reinforced to <br />accommodate planned or equivalent equipment at a reasonable <br />cost. <br />(ii) The planned equipment would cause radio frequency <br />interference with other existing or planned equipment for these <br />wireless support structures, and the interference cannot be <br />prevented at a reasonable cost. <br />(iii) Existing or approved wireless support structures do not have <br />space on which the equipment can be placed so it can function <br />effectively and reasonably in parity with similar existing or <br />approved equipment. <br />(iv) No tower or other suitable facility exists in an area where the <br />equipment to be placed on the tower will function in its intended <br />manner. <br />(b) Location of Wireless Support Structures <br />(i) Applicants for facilities shall locate, site and erect said facilities <br />according to the following priorities, in the following order: <br />a. On existing County-owned facilities without increasing <br />the height of the tower or structure. <br />b. On existing Facilities without increasing the height of the <br />tower or structure. <br />c. On County-owned properties or facilities. <br />d. On properties in areas zoned for commercial or industrial <br />use. <br />e. On properties in areas zoned Agricultural Residential <br />(AR). <br />f. On properties in areas zoned for residential use. <br />(ii) If an Applicant proposes to place telecommunications equipment <br />at a location that is not a preferred priority 1 site, then the <br />Applicant must provide a detailed explanation as to why a higher <br />priority site is not proposed. The explanation shall be in the form <br />of a written report demonstrating the Applicant’s review of the <br />above locations in order of priority and the reason(s) for the site <br />selection. The explanation shall, at a minimum, include the <br />information required by section 5.10.8(B)(3)(e). <br />(iii) The application shall not be approved unless it demonstrates <br />that the telecommunications equipment may not be sited at a <br />higher priority site because of commercial impracticability or <br />because no higher priority site is available that would serve to <br />provide the telecommunications service need identified by the <br />32