Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
E) Requires periodic inspections and engineer certifications on existing towers <br />1. Major inspections to be performed by a structural engineer every thirty-six (36) months, <br />except in cases where a tower site has no structures, other than those associated with <br />the tower, that are located within the tower's fall zone, or at the time of a co-location, <br />with a report to be submitted to the Inspection Division. <br />2. Minor inspection (visual) to be performed yearly by the County's consultant or a properly <br />trained Inspection staff member. <br />3. Requires structural analysis of existing towers within 12 months of the effective date of <br />the ordinance. <br />F) Master Telecommunication Plan ("Plan") Note: The revised telecommunication <br />ordinance only creates a `place holder' for the eventual adoption of a Master <br />Telecommunication Plan that will plug into the approved ordinance. <br />1. New provision will create the opportunity for the BOCC to consider atwo-phase <br />approval process for towers less than 200 feet in height. The Plan works as follows: <br />a. Initial Plan participants request to be included in the Plan (private, public, quasi- <br />public and public interest lands may be available to develop an efficient grid <br />system). <br />b. The Planning Staff will notify adjoining owners in accordance with ordinance <br />provisions and the Plan will proceed to quarterly public hearing. <br />c. Advocates and opponents of the Plan will be afforded the opportunity to speak on <br />behalf of or in opposition to the Plan. <br />d. After Planning Board recommendation, the BOCC will have final approval authority <br />on the Plan. <br />e. If the Plan is adopted, telecommunication providers shall meet the same <br />performance evaluation standards for a building permit as they currently meet in the <br />Board approval process. <br />f. Additions to the Plan will only be considered annually (proposed at the February <br />Public Hearing). A fee to cover advertisement and administrative processing (legal <br />ad, mailing, etc) is proposed. <br />g. Withdrawal from the Plan can be accomplished by submitting a notarized statement <br />from the owner(s) that requests that their property be withdrawn from the Plan. <br />G) Special Use Permit standard revisions <br />1. Defines overall policy and desired goals for Special Use Permits for telecommunication <br />towers. <br />2. Set distance requirements between towers <br />a. '/2 mile separation required; no separation requirement in current ordinance <br />b. Unforeseen events defined and allows flexibility by Director within parameters <br />3. Increased the search ranges that applicant has to justify in order to place a new tower <br />a. From'/2 mile to 1 mile for towers less than 150 feet height and shorter <br />b. From 1 mile to 2 miles for towers greater than 150 feet height <br />4. Requirement of a balloon test with certified notification requirement by applicant to all <br />property owners within County's required notification range <br />5. Provision for the requirement of an Environmental Assessment Analysis (if deemed <br />necessary) and Visual addendum. Provision for submittal of a Visual Impact <br />Assessment to aid in evaluation of proposed tower's visual intrusiveness <br />