HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 02-27-2012-C10ORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
AND PLANNING BOARD
QUARTERLY PUBLIC HEARING
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: February 27, 2012
SUBJECT: Master Telecommunication Plan Map Modification
DEPARTMENT: Planning and Inspections
ATTACHMENT:
1. UDO Outline Form (UDO /Zoning 2012-
09) — Master Telecommunications Plan
Map
2. Proposed Master Telecommunication
Plan Map
Action Agenda
Item No. C -10
PUBLIC HEARING: (YIN) Yes
INFORMATION CONTACT:
Glenn Bowles, Planner II 245 -2577
Craig Benedict, Director 2462592
PURPOSE: To hold a public hearing to receive comment on the proposed modifications to the
Master Telecommunication Plan Map (hereafter the "Plan ").
BACKGROUND: The BOCC approved the initial Plan on May 17, 2011 along with a resolution
establishing application procedures for the location of cell towers on County properties.
This proposal seeks to modify the Plan by adding four new sites (P -9, P -10, P -12 and P -15 as
shown in yellow on Attachment 2).
The owners of the Scott property had petitioned the BOCC at the February 2011 Quarterly
Public Hearing to be included on the map. On February 1, 2011, the OWASA Executive
Director, Ed Kerwin, sent a signed letter of interest to be included in the Plan. A Cane Creek
Reservoir site was first included, and now the OWASA American Stone Quarry site is submitted
for inclusion.
Please refer to Attachment 1 for additional background detail on this item.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: Please refer to Section C.3 of Attachment 1.
RECOMMENDATIONS: The Planning Director recommends that the Board:
1. Receive this abstract.
2. Conduct a Public Hearing and accept all public and BOCC comments on the subject.
3. Adjourn the public hearing until March 22, 2012 where final action on the proposal shall
be taken by the BOCC.
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Attachment 1
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN / FUTURE LAND USE MAP
AND
UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE (UDO)
AMENDMENT OUTLINE
UDO / Zoning- 2012 -09
Master Telecommunications Plan Map
A. AMENDMENT TYPE
Map Amendments
❑ Land Use Element Map:
From:
To:
❑ Zoning Map:
From:
To:
® Other: Addition of 4 new telecommunication tower sites to the adopted Master
Telecommunications Plan Map per Section 5.10.2 of the UDO
Text Amendments
❑ Comprehensive Plan Text:
Section(s):
❑ UDO Text:
❑UDO General Text Changes
❑UDO Development Standards
❑UDO Development Approval Processes
Section(s):
❑ Other:
1. Purpose /Mission
As has been stated previously to the BOCC, portions of the County are either not
served, or are underserved, by telecommunication services. This has become an
impediment to essential County communications for several departments (i.e.
Emergency Management, Sheriff, Information Technologies, Building Inspections,
Health Department, etc.), is a detriment to economic development, and has
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negatively impacted local residents.
Section 5.10.2 of the UDO enables Orange County to develop and adopt a Master
Telecommunications Plan Map (hereafter 'Plan') in an effort to address these
deficiencies.
The purpose of the Plan is to display properties where owners have expressed,
interest in allowing wireless telecommunication facilities to be constructed. The
BOCC first reviewed the Plan at its February 29, 2011 Joint Quarterly Public Hearing
and adopted it subsequently.
According to Sub - section 5.10.2(D)(2) of the UDO, additions or modifications to the
Plan are reviewed annually, as warranted, by the BOCC at the February Quarterly
Public Hearing. Applications to add to withdraw from or otherwise modify the Plan
are required to be filed with the Planning Director prior to December 1St of each year.
The need for public safety, wireless broadband, and information technology
connectivity continues to be in high demand.
Adoption, or subsequent modification, of the Plan does not include approval of a
specific cell tower development project. Rather, the Plan in conjunction with the
guidelines found in Section 5.10.6 of the UDO provides an administrative mechanism
to encourage cell tower providers to work as partners to improve broadband and
emergency service in the rural portions of the County.
Telecommunication support structures are still required to adhere to the various
development standards detailed within Section 5.10.8 of the UDO. This includes
adherence to the following requirements:
a. Development of a site plan denoting the location of the proposed tower,
setback distances, fall zone requirements, etc,
b. A landscape plan denoting the planting of require foliage for the tower,
c. Draft bond agreements for the project,
d. Data concerning possible environmental impact, and
e. All other required documentation detailed within the UDO.
Further, all telecommunication support structures located on County property are
required to adhere to initial notification and testing requirements, including the
holding of a properly advertised balloon test, the completion of an Environmental
Assessment, and the holding of a neighborhood information meeting to inform local
residents of the pending application.
2. Analysis
The Plan essentially serves as a marketing tool to allow the County to provide some
direction on where available properties, suitable for the development of wireless support
structures, are located. Available properties include those where existing property
owners have expressed formal, written, interest in allowing for the development of a
wireless support structure.
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It should be remembered that the proposed modification of the Plan does not create an
automatic exemption for the various denoted properties from the review and approval
processes as prescribed by the UDO with respect to the development of wireless support
structures. Based on reports, certain areas show coverage weaknesses and other areas
with coverage often have capacity issues.
3. Comprehensive Plan Linkage (i.e. Principles, Goals and Objectives)
Economic Development Goal 2: Infrastructure that supports desired development
Objective ED -2.11: Establish adequate information networks throughout the
towns and County.
Services and Community Facilities Goal 7: Efficient and effective public safety
including, police, fire, telecommunications, emergency services, and animal services.
Objective PS -T -6: Develop a mechanism for cooperation with telecommunication
facilities stakeholders regarding the siting and design of towers.
Objective PS -T -7: Manage the number of future wireless telecommunication
facilities by identifying preferred locations capable of accommodating service
Countywide.
Objective PS -T -6: Encourage the expansion of affordable, high -speed internet
access, fiber - optic lines, and other high -speed communication networks to rural and
underserved areas.
Objective PS -9: Maintain a radio communication system that ensures reliable
notification and oversight of emergency assets, such as personnel vehicles, and
response equipment throughout Orange County and inter - operability of
communication among jurisdictions.
4. New Statutes and Rules
Not applicable.
C. PROCESS
1. TIMEFRAME /MILESTONES /DEADLINES
a. BOCC Authorization to Proceed
November 15, 2012
b. Quarterly Public Hearing
February 27, 2011
c. BOCC Updates /Checkpoints
February Quarterly Public Hearing legal ad approved on February 7, 2012.
d. Other
Requests for modifications by staff received on or before December 1, 2011
2. PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT PROGRAM
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Mission /Scope: Public Hearing process consistent with NC State Statutes and
Orange County ordinance requirements..
a. Planning Board Review:
The Planning Board is not directed to review the MTP.
b. Advisory Boards:
Not applicable
c. Local Government Review:
Not applicable
d. Notice Requirements
None related to the review and modification to the MTP.
e. Outreach:
❑ General Public:
❑ Small Area Plan Workgroup:
❑ Other:
3. FISCAL IMPACT
Expenditures for this project will be paid using Departmental funds budgeted for the
specific activity. Expenditures include the legal advertisement of the public hearing.
Existing Planning staff included in the Departmental staffing budget will accomplish
the work required to process this amendment.
It should be noted that Orange County may receive co- location rents from private
broadband access providers if facilities are located on County owned properties.
Building tower facilities, with public communication technologies, on County or other
similar quasi - public properties (i.e. OWASA sites, fire stations, etc.) will forego the
need for providers to purchase additional private property to accomplish the same
task.
D. AMENDMENT IMPLICATIONS
The MTP will be updated with a listing of additional properties that are available for the
potential location of wireless telecommunication facilities to address under- and un-
served portions of Orange County.
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E. SPECIFIC AMENDMENT LANGUAGE
There is no specific amendment language required. Please refer to the Attachment 2
denoting the proposed amendments to the Plan.
Primary Staff Contact:
Glenn R. Bowles, Planner II
Planning and Inspections Department
919 245 2577
gbowles @co.orange.nc.us
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Telecommunication Plan Map sites Attachment 2 9
-------------------------------------
I (E-1) ------------------
I
Piedmont Electric Tower 4
I
(P-2)Cedar j
(P-1)Cedar 49 Grove Park j
Grove Fire
Department
157 (P-3)Caldwell
Fire Department
j
j
I
j
(P-4)
Future Northeast
(P-15)Scott Property Park
I 57 I
I
(P-7)Buck horn Road ss
(P-5)Walnut ;
Grove SW Site I
j
�j
(P-6)Eno Fire and
(E-2) Emergency Services
- 70 Occoneechee Tower
� 1
1 ®®° (E-3) 1
j EMS Tower
I 1
j
(P-8)Countyj—
Soccer Fields (E-4) j
j Piedmont Electric
j Tower (P-9)County Park Site
(P-11) I ID X Y
OWASA
Property
j 'y -2 79°7'19.17"W 36°3'42.86" N
E 3 79°4'22.80"W 36°3'36.50"N
(P-10)County Park Site E-4 79°4'42.51"W 36°2'43.20"N
't
P-1 79°12'29.57"W 36°10'58.27"N
Ij 501 ——
j 86 15 j P-2 79°8'25.44"W 36°10'45.37"N
P-3 79°0'53.63"W 36°11'14.82"N
I j
j (P-12) P-4 79°3'4.87"W 36'8'53.54"N
on
American St
on 54 Amerie j
j ' P-5 79°T 6.63"W 36°8'36.48"N I
Quarry(OWASA) j P-6 79°0'14.49"W 36°6'53.57"N
_ I
'� 54 P-7 79°13'32.98"W 36°4'54.21"N
1 P-8 7, 1 4$,9j,"
t j P 9 79°4'54.48"W 36°1'4.18"N..
501 j P 10 79°4'53.82"W 35°58'41.90"N
— — j
----- 15 j P,
(P-13)White
-- _ P-12 79°9'l.82"W 35°55'56.00"N
.-____ _
Cross Fire — -----------
Department (P-14)Mellot Property P-14 79°1'20.97"W 35'52'2L47"N
P-15 79°10'56.31"W 36'7'41.49"N
Existing Tower Locations 4..r,, N
°•• 1 inch=3.2 miles
O Proposed Tower Locations ° y 0 1 2 3
Approved Tower Locations c Miles
2 Mile Buffer Orange County Planning and Inspections Department
GIS Map Prepared by Brian Carson.2/10/2012
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