[W1SMH] Attleboro Antenna Zoning Meeting/Re: Antenna Zoning meeting

[rmacedo at rcn.com]

Hi Ray,

I added Shawn O'Donnell-K3HI, Eastern Mass. ARRL State Government Liaison to this note. He is a lawyer and may be able to assist if anything else is required. Also copied Mike-W1MPN so he's aware of it and Terry-KA8SCP who forwardedsome info on this to us.

Good luck with this item.

73,Rob-KD1CY.

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Hello All
As some of you may have heard by now,
things went well at the Attleboro City Council Hearing.
I had submitted a letter to the council the week before
on SMHARC Club letterhead outlinning the fact that
while we did not object to the ordinance proposed,
we did have some concerns about the broad definition
of antenna and Wireless Telecommunications tower.
I suggested that in order for the proposed ordinace to be in 
compliance with Mass State General Law Chapter 40A and
Federal FCC statute PRB-1 ther should be an exclusion paragraph
exempting Towers and Antennas owned and operated by Federally
licensed operators  in the Amateur Radio Service of the FCC.
 
At the hearing they acknowleged reciept of my letter and when comments
were asked for I spoke in favor of the proposal with seveal caveats and
clarifications. I restated our concern that the broad definitions could be
construed to include Ham Radio towers and antennas.  After several 
questions from the councilors, They all seemed to agree tha some clarification
was in order. Council President Cook wanted to take the exception right from
Ch 40A but I felt it would be better if we wrote a shorter more concise exclusion.
Councilor Bowles suggested that I write a paragraph of exclusion and submit it
to the Planning Board for inclusion in the final proposed ordinance.
I plan to submit
"Nothing in this ordinance shall be construed to apply to, or include Antenna towers
or other antenna structures owned and operated by, or proposed to be erected by,
the holder of an Federal Communications Commission license in the Amateur
Radio Service."
If anyone has anything to add I will be willing to consider it as I am not a Lawyer.
By the way I was the only Ham that spoke and no one spoke against the ordinace.
 
73
Ray K2TGX
SMHARC Secretary