[K3PZN-List] Antenna Regulations

[Andy Leeds]

I am sending this message to the CCARC list in the hope that it may 
prevent a similar situation from arizing in Carroll County as has 
happened here in Brevard County, FL. The short version is that the 
county enacted a rule in 2000 prohibiting all towers & antennas over 35' 
(to the tip of the highest antenna) unless a conditional use permit is 
obtained (then the max is 100'). The fee for the CUP is $941.00 and they 
also want a sealed site survey (this is possibly in error based on 
several people's reading of the code) that costs around $700.00. This 
means the amateur is out almost $1700.00 before even starting out, and 
these fees are not refundable if the CUP is rejected by the county 
commission.

One local amateur replaced a beam on his 60' tower that has been up for 
over 10 years and the county is now taking enforcement action against 
him and code enforcement is demanding he remove the tower until the CUP 
is granted or he will face $250.00 a day fines (the code enforcement 
people smaked the county EOC with a $45000.00 fine for their new tower). 
 Every ham I  know was unaware of this new rule (including many of us 
who are LEOs and try to keep up) until the story broke a few days ago 
when the individual involved asked for turnout at a commission meeting 
and people who are so inclined to speak. In the short term here we are 
working on introducing an exemption clause into the offending county 
code as the major municipalities here have done. The commission is 
scheduled to hear our request for a change on 4/8/03 at 2100hrs.

My advice and warning to CCARC is to pay attention to what is going on 
in your local government. I believe the clubs down here are going to 
arrange for several members to start reviewing the commission agenda 
items from now on so this does not happen in the future without a fight.

73,
Andy