1. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

  Chair welcomed everyone and read the above statement.   Chair asked the Vice Chair to lead in the pledge of allegiance.

2. INTRODUCTION OF MEMBERS – ROLL CALL

  The following commissioners who were attendance are Charles Hayes, Wayne Williams, Frances Brown, Anthony Powell, Steve Scott, Lorie Bouie, and Rev. Dr. Joe Parramore.

The meeting had a confirmed quorum.

3.

DISCLOSURES AND DECLARATIONS OF CONFLICTS

  There were no disclosures or declarations of conflicts.

PUBLIC HEARINGS

4.

OAK GROVE SUBSTATION EXPANSION SPECIAL EXCEPTION USE (Quasi-Judicial Hearing) (SEU 2021-01) – Consideration of a special exception use to allow the expansion of an existing electric substation located at 1165 Atwater Road, Chattahoochee and referred to as Tax Parcel ID #2-16-3N-5W-0000-00411-0100.

  Jill Jeglie was sworn in to speak on this issue. It is for a Talquin Electric Substation that is located on a 2-acre parcel. Proposed to go from 14,000 sq ft to 24,150 sq ft. The substation expansion will include the replacement of 2 substation equipment, structures, transformers, driveway and a 192 square feet control building. This side is designated Agriculture 2 on the Future Land Use Map. The total impervious area post development will be 34.3% of the entire two-acre site.  This is a special exception use. This is for section 7300 the criteria is excepted. The applicant is present. Exacting substation. The tower will remain. It is sounded by trees and there are no sounds or orders. No parking is proposed. Lights are proposed. Utilities is covered by the applicant. There are no hours of operation. There are no other setbacks. Did hold a citizen’s bill of rights hearing. Local newspapers had advertisements. Recommend to discretion of the planning commission.

  There were no questions at this time.

  Tony Holly (547 N Munroe St, Suite 201, Tallahassee, FL 32301) was there strictly as an agent and to answer any questions the commission had.

  Bouie stated that item number 11 is to use the setbacks as bumpers.

Jeglie stated that there are no bumper requirements at this time.

  Bouie/Powell

Roll call vote was taken.

HAYES-YES

WILLIAMS-YES

BROWN-YES

ROBERTS-YES

POWELL-YES

SCOTT-YES

BOUIE-YES

PARRAMORE-YES

Passes 8-0     

5.

OAK GROVE SUBSTATION CONCEPTUAL/PRELIMINARY SITE PLAN (Quasi-Judicial Hearing) (SP 2021-01) - Consideration of a conceptual/preliminary site plan to expand the existing electric substation parcel located at 1165 Atwater Road, Chattahoochee and referred to as Tax Parcel ID #2-16-3N-5W-0000-00411-0100

   Add on to the substation at this time. Drive way will be redone so it meets standards. No traffic. Tortoise burrow protective measures taken to protect. No height restriction. Storm  This is a site plan. All public notices have been met. Set water drive. Note on the plans. Site Plans are in the packet.

  No questions at this time

  Holly no questions at this time.

  Bouie/Williams

HAYES-YES

WILLIAMS-YES

BROWN-YES

ROBERTS-YES

POWELL-YES

SCOTT-YES

BOUIE-YES

PARRAMORE-YES

Passes 8-0    

  Chair Parramore entertained a five min recess.

Brown/Bouie

Voice Vote was called.

Motion passed 8-0.    

WORKSHOP

6.

TELECOMMUNICATION TOWER REGULATIONS WORKSHOP (SECTION 5800) (LDR 2021-01) – Discussion of amendments to the telecommunication regulations located in Section 5800 Communication Towers, Chapter 2 Definitions and Section 7200 Review Procedures of the Land Development Code.

  Jeglie stated that some of them had already seen some of this info. Report has some of the background. Adoption of the act that worked with ordinances. Cellphones were a luxury now ness. Table looks at local governments in the area. Discuss the setbacks. Construction of towers. So no patchy service. Balancing act and starting point for areas where cell towers are. Adding exemptions covering polls. additional info and asked for deviations. Some maps of where are and where we have been. Cell tower buffer. This particular maps stars indicate new towers.

  Chair asked about towers that have been approved not built. Only one has asked for extension.

  Brown asked for the map.

  Jeglie telecommunication tower have been approved for areas. Not to be put in

All areas in white are where they could go.

  Cite plan review new colocation, maintenance, radio, and minimal change in height. Work on towers antennas attached to structures.

  Chair asked why haven’t we considered rural residential have more towers. Since they could be life or death.

Jeglie stated that one of the codes states that towers in rural residential. To allow towers to be put in. to a half mile. In addition to request deviation.

  Setbacks minimal changes from right of way 250ft there are a lot of towers out there. Hard to take picture of the towers. Set back far from the road. Difficult to see. Depends on when you take the picture. Typical height setbacks of 500ft from roads. Visual corridors maintain setbacks. Camo towers.

  Property lines 450 ft for unlit towers. That has not been an issue. Parcels of land with house on them. Towers should be setback 500ft.

  Bouie was concerned for the lighting for citizens.

Jeglie stated that they would have to go through the FCC. This is for safety purpose. Red lights are better that white.

Jeglie asked can the county have that info on hand.

  Roberts said coning with grey on the bottom.
  Chair stated that those lights are for air traffic. Bouie called air traffic control and some can be dimmed.

  Jeglie stated that towers can be set back and deviations cannot be set back. Property setbacks are requiring a study. At a minimum restriction on use of light.  Look Future land use map.

  Camo tower 150 ft in Hight there are no other setbacks.

Max tower height. 250 ft in all dis. devotions

Deviation standards form the processes. Tower height. Rural residential Telecommunication. Environment that needs buffer Setback buffer for res

  Set is less than the fall zone.

  Visual impact indicated that they wanted site specific info to make dis. Comparison to what it would be built to code. Camo needs to submit.

Utility pole mounted small wireless tele. Is not taller than the poles. And no lights.

  added sections to the deviations suitable alternative design.

There are picture examples. This is not comprehensive.

  They looked at camo towers in Havana. Its way in the back. Looks like a very large pine tree. It is 190ft tall.

FDOT tower that is near I-10. Pro

  Chair asked if they allow other providers to use their towers.

  The next tower is set back from the.

  This is very near the recent application. It servers the ne.

It they show where they cover. Various regulation. The applications show around two miles. Various gaps. Only the towers in the county. The cities control those areas. There are coverage gaps. J is not a expert on coverage. Is there too many towers. Towers are change

  Is there a life cycle plan. They have to dismantle

  The third p. on page. The towers for 4g services. Colocation 5g and 4g cant share space. They have to stand alone. The deviations. Utilizing different towers. If its collocated. One would cancel the other one out. At some point should we have to work the life cycle in to the plan. Work them into the plan. Mile or half a mile apart so they can have spacing in them. Would have to show that they. states statues make sure that they are over saturated. The exit phase of older towers. Might be able to implement exit plan.

  Could add lang. to show if they could leave them. If we are being told. 5g towers could not be with 4g. delineation of collation.

  Robert Volpe. Code is 20 years old. Its requires a difficult process. It detours service. Additional considerations. One of the major considerations is federal tele. Consideration act. Design structure. Cannot regulate what type of tower. Just where it is placed. Language of the act. Not being able to violate acts. Have to build a new tower. Reasonable. Doesn’t know how conflicting the gs are. The larger towers are used to send the signal. The coverage is different in compacities. May be able to get coverage on outer reaches.

  Concern not having a tower every half mile. Leaving the language as is. the lag. As is how could the citizens get away from lighted towers. Too many towers and not getting service. Want to follow federal standers.

  providing wireless service is not just for citizens. Building towers is expensive. Pushes towards collocation. Towers are not being built unless they are not being maximized. While might not be on 5g some might not have service at all. 5g is not coming to this area for a while. Restrict because of the local areas from the tech that they could use.

There is a need for balance. Need to protect our citizens though.

  understanding that the code cannot be more restrictive fcc guidelines. That would result in federal lawsuit.

  If they have a 3g tower and they want to put in a tower. It is off of different carriers. They would have to collocate. If they have one-mile separations. This is a valid point. When tecj is no longer used the best course is to get ride of the tower. They use smaller antennas. Did add lang. to detour.

Rr is primary residential areas. It is a balancing act. This is going to bring up issues. They recognize that this is an issue. Reducing setbacks.

  Clarity is need for this in language for residential areas are defined. They do allow for deviations. Something that needs to go to the public

  Staff is getting the presentation to the commissioners.

  Chair asked when they could do another workshop. Doing another workshop at that time.

Workshop at 5pm.

  Don Stewart came before the board. How he got interested about the towers is on a program is called next-door. There are two complaints are about Wi-Fi and cell signal. Many commissioners know that he was part of bill of rights. This led him to look at cell towers. Signal is good for talking but not the internet. They have to spend money on personal antennas and boosters. The signal is not strong for the area. Reston and Lake Tallavana area. The people are still going to want more towers. But he doesn’t want towers. They are going to need more towers. Versions of 5g is different and short range. There was further discussion. Please see http://www.gadsdenclerk.com/meetings/MEETINGS.htm.

  Marion Lasley came before the board. She stated that the towers light up the sky and that they are buildings. Update equipment and collocate. Max out collocation. DOT was required to collocate. No towers have been taken down. Aesthetic is being damaged by adding towers. Lighting is not a positive. There was further discussion. Please see http://www.gadsdenclerk.com/meetings/MEETINGS.htm.  

GENERAL BUSINESS

7.

PLANNING COMMISSION DISSCUSSION- New Business

  The new workshop is being added. Is there any items that are being added.

How can we give peace of mind. There is no community meetings that are needed anymore. What can we do is there a way to notify the public to any info.

If the comm. Wanted a meeting. Contact the county commissioners. They are allowed to ask commissioners, but make sure that is legal. Do not do it out of law.

8.

PLANNING DIRECTOR’S COMMENTS

  The air property workshop is in action. Asked to recognize the former commissioners. Training on Tuesday. 

9.

ADJOURNMENT OF MEETING

  Hayes/ Bouie

Meeting adjourned at 8:14 p.m.