GADSDEN COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PLANNING COMMISSION WORKSHOP AGENDA & NOTES
Thursday, February 6, 2014
6:00p.m.
Board of County Commissioners Meeting Room
7 East Jefferson Street
Quincy, Florida
Present: Commissioner Regina Davis, At - Large Member, Chair
Commissioner Edward Allen, Vice – Chair
Commissioner Dr. Gail Bridges – Bright (absent)
Commissioner Diane Sheffield
Commissioner Larry Ganus
Commissioner Mari VanLandingham (absent)
Commissioner David Tranchand
Commissioner Frank Rowan (absent
Commissioner William Chukes
Commissioner Ed Dixon (absent)
Commissioner Catherine Robinson
Commissioner Isaac Simmons, Acting School Board Representative
Allara Gutcher, Planning & Community Development Director
Willie Brown, Principal Planner
Beryl H. Wood, Deputy Clerk
1. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
2. INTRODUCTION OF MEMBERS/ROLL CALL – Each member stated his or her name for the record.
3. DISCLOSURES AND DECLARATIONS OF CONFLICT - None
WORKSHOP
4. PRESENTATION - Communication Towers (LDR-2013-02) - Proposed Ordinance
amending Chapter 5, Subsection 5800 of the Gadsden County Land Development Code revising the communication tower regulations. (Allara Gutcher, Planning & Community Development Director)
Public Comment:
Dr. Arnold
Michael Dorian
Marion Lasley, 5 Dante Court
Mr. Art Peters, professional engineer, appeared before the Board and introduced himself. He mentioned he designed a lot of systems in many different areas. He pointed out that he work for counties and cities.
Commissioner Simmons commented on 5807 Design Standard; the collapse rate is his concern, if they fall.
Mr. Peters stated if it’s a lattice tower it can be designed so if they collapse it would be in pieces, lattice could fall down. He said if someone proposes to build a tower you need to ask what can of tower. They need to specify the type of tower.
Mrs. Gutcher said it doesn’t address the type of tower.
Commissioner Ganus asked for types of towers.
Mr. Peters said the taller towers 2,000 guy wired; small lattice towers; the height of the tower depends how much the tower has to transmit. He explained cell towers to the Commission.
Commissioner Simmons pointed out they are here to discuss design and cell capacity issues. Define tower and justification of need. What’s the fall radius of your tower?
Commissioner Chukes asked about the falling of towers and gave for example if a tower falls within a 100ft, He also putting a concern is putting towers close to one’s resident.
You have to prove it will not fall within that adjacent boundary. What you don’t want to do is exclude one that may be necessary. You may have a need to put a tower in rural residential.
Commissioner Ganus asked about fall zones during hurricanes and tornados. Can fall zone be defined?
Mr. Peters say they have a design break and it would probably be 10ft long. Yes, in feet. Fall zone boundary;
Commissioner Ganus commented on 5805: Code locations the change of 180 to 110 feet in height. He asked about lighting requirements.
Mr. Peters said you don’t want to restrict so much were vendors don’t want to come in. Under 250ft they is no lighting requirement.
Commissioner Sheffield asked how lighting was addressed.
Commissioner Sheffield inquired about subsection 58108 and 5806: She said she preferred the Type 2 review, she pointed it is emotional for citizens.
Change to Type 2: should push people into desirable type of tower; Type 1 approval for unipol tower all others Type 2.
Mrs. Gutcher stated that Type 1: Whatever meets Code, not personal choices.
Consensus: Recommendation Type 2 (all input) Use by right would be struck.
Commissioner Sheffield said they struck out requirement that an applicant show an existing tower to place equipment. Co -location
Mrs. Gutcher commented planning for additional capacity on existing and new towers and structures is mandatory.
Mr. Arnold who makes decision for additional carriers on tower.
Mr. Peters replied they are happy to accommodate because it’s income to them. Each carrier has a network. All applicants must show why they locate on existing towers. A list of technical requirements, they why County would have list of where all towers.
Commissioner Robinson commented on Mr. Peter’s comments subsection 5801: who regulates in the city, I see county. She questioned the space between towers.
Mr. Peters said one of the technical requirements show adjacent towers to the one they are proposing. He said long ago they did specify space between towers, they no longer do that.
She questioned would require both on landscaping on page 5.
Mrs. Gutcher said all is required.
Commissioner Allen you mentioned 30 cells per 100 customers.
Mr. Peters said it depends on the amount of channels they put in.
Mr. Allen asked would Mr. Peters be able to help right code.
Commissioner Tranchand asked when a tower ages out. He asked are they are they trending everywhere.
Mr. Peters said the trend is to downsize towers.
He questioned assigning IP addresses.
Mr. Peters commented if more traffic, more towers.
Commissioner Sheffield inquired about radiation.
Mr. Peters pointed out what you’re prohibiting due to radiation questions. He said radiation hazards is not a hazard when handled properly. He said it is studied intensely, it’s a worldwide concern.
Dr. Anthony Arnold question lighting red strodes. The reasons they wrote they way they did because people didn’t want flashing red lights. Basic logic was based on lot sizes and tree heights, then top of tower would not be visible. He said they need to pay attention to language in shorter towers.
Mr. Peters said you don’t have to have specific, any tower that is built under your jurisdiction.
Mrs. Gutcher said it relates now to FHA regulations. You can introduce setbacks that is acceptable or make 200ft and under.
Mr. Peters said you may need tower above 200ft. He said he said would send that section of FHA to Dr. Arnold.
Mrs. Gutcher said new lights would shield up not down, due to FHA regulations.
Marion Lasley, the wording of no strode lighting has been removed. All lot of original language needs to be kept. Concern by the usage of word residence. Co-location (I want a map of all towers and co-location, to show they are max out.) The intent of original ordinance was not to build many towers, one tower for as many carriers as possible. It should be required, stronger language. Fall zone, the whole concept, terrible. Setbacks are too close.
Mr. Peters said it is governed, you can’t design their system.
Dr. Arnold presented original ordinance.
Commissioner Simmons stated that there is more work that needs to be done on this.
Commissioner Davis suggested a chart, 3 columns for all changes. (Suggestive Language, Peters/Staff)
Commissioner Sheffield suggested the chart from the EAR Amendments.
Mrs. Gutcher asked Mrs. Lasley to meet with her.
Mr. Brown commented on camouflage towers and that they have 3 towers in the last 3 years.
Mrs. Gutcher as a type 2, administration review you have to have basis to deny.
Next Meeting/Workshop will be set be staff.
5. PRESENTATION - Communication Antennas, Towers, and Structures presented by Telecommunication Industry Representative Art Peters. (Arthur K. Peters Consulting Engineers)
6. PLANNING COMMISSION COMMENTS/QUESTIONS – Workshop TBD
7. PUBLIC COMMENTS – No additional comments
8. ADJOURNMENT @ 8:06 pm
