Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
oo~ <br />The Board of Adjustment reviewed the draft ordinance on August 12, 2002. Their primary <br />concern was the restriction of the telecommunication application processing to two meetings <br />per year. The Board felt that applications should be filed and processed on an as needed basis <br />so that the workflow was even rather than point loaded at specifc meetings. Some Board <br />members questioned the need for annual inspections after a tower is has approved and <br />constructed. <br />PROPOSED AMENDMENTS: <br />New Provisions: <br />A) Height and User Amendments <br />1. Lowers height of Special Use Permit, Class B {less than 4 users) from 200 feet to 150 <br />feet maximum <br />2. Maintains height of Special Use Permit, Class B {4-user minimum} of less than 200 feet <br />if the tower is designed and reserved for up to four users. Provides incentives and <br />promotes co-location on existing and proposed towers. <br />3. Require towers greater than 150 feet height {with less than 4 users} to be processed as <br />a Special Use Permit, Class A which is processed through the Planning Board & Board <br />of County Commissioners. <br />B) Yearly Pre-Application Meeting required in January between telecommunication providers <br />and Planning Staff <br />1. Determines the telecommunication industry's needs in Orange County for the coming <br />year, <br />2. Will allow staff-and consultant to review industry needs and proposals to determine if co- <br />loration opportunities exist on existing facilities or on proposed new towers. <br />3. No applications will be accepted during the following year unless the tower was <br />identified and discussed in the annua! pre-application meeting. <br />4. Ordinance proposes bi-annual processing of telecommunication tower applications <br />a. Board of Adjustment to hear cases in April and October <br />1. The Board of Adjustment has reviewed a Draft of this ordinance and was <br />concerned that hearing cases only twice yearly could cause a meeting overload if <br />three or more cases were fried at once. <br />b. Board of County Commissioners to hear cases at May and November Quarterly <br />Public Hearings <br />1. The same potential far numerous proposals at the same meeting will exist. <br />C} Ordinance promotes co-location of antenna(s) on existing buildings, transmission towers, <br />utility poles, and similar structures through lower fees and staff approval. <br />1. Engineer's approval required prior to staff issuance of any permit for antenna(s). <br />2. Maximum height of antenna(s) set at twenty- (20}feet. <br />3. Encourages stealth facilities; justification required if stealth antenna(s) is not proposed. <br />4. Limits any accessory structures pertaining to either tawer(s} or antenna{s) to 600 square <br />feet per user with a maximum height of 12 feet. <br />D} Ordinance has higher technical standards for tower review at both the Special Use Permit <br />and the building permit application stags <br />1. As a result of higher technical standards the County will need to contract with a <br />telecommunication consultant for technical expertise regarding telecommunication <br />towers. (Board comments noted this need previously}. <br />G/robertleell tower amendment! abstract Public Hearing <br />