Orange County — Board of Zoning Adjustment

SE-01-06-032 — Nextel Communications, Inc.

Request: Special Exception in A-1 zone to construct a monopole communications tower as follows: 1. 199 ft. in height in lieu of 170 ft.; 2. Non-colocated in lieu of co-located.

Decision: Approved

Hearing: The applicant submitted a revised site plan that relocated the tower 88 ft. from the north property line; this is the furtherest point south they can move it to without encroachment into the conservation area existing on-site. The applicant testified that this height is needed in order to provide adequate coverage between their other two sites in the region, and in order to get signalization over the hilly terrain in the area. The BZA Chairman commented there is a great need to provide mobile communications to the agricultural community in this area of Orange County. The BZA felt it would be more appropriate to have one tall tower with multiple co-location instead of several single use towers in the area; however, the BZA members felt that due to amount of height requested, it was appropriate at this time to require Nextel bring a secondary user on board prior to obtaining a permit to build the tower. There was no opposition present at the public hearing.