Agenda Package - 03-15-10 - Laserfiche WebLink

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cis • cgCOU~ylf N~ ~YR MEMORANDUM CAROB TO: Lee County Board of Commissioners Lee County Planning Board John Crumpton, County Manager FROM: Marshall Downey, Assistant Director of Planning and Development DATE: March 15, 2010 REF: Public hearing regarding two (2) amendments to the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) Amendment 1 - Planning is currently working with representatives of Central Carolina Community College regarding the erection of a new telecommunications tower on their campus here is Sanford. The tower is a 190 ft. lattice style which will be used for the • continued broadcast of the school's non-commercial station (WDCC FM 90.5). The tower will replace an existing structure currently located on the top of one of the buildings. The tower will be located just to the east/northeast of the current campus, just off Kelly Drive. CCCC has paid all appropriate fees and is moving forward with a Special Use Permit application in order to obtain zoning approval for the new tower. However, there is one sticking point in the approval process. For all new towers the UDO requires a performance bond in the amount of 110% of the estimated cost of the removal of such tower be submitted. CCCC representatives have indicated to Planning staff that they feel that this is an undue burden since they are a public institution and requested a means of gaining relief from this requirement. Planning staff responded that a text amendment to the UDO would be the only means of relief and, as such, this item is placed on your agenda for consideration and discussion. Essentially, an amendment to the UDO is being sought in which all new government- owned/public telecommunication towers to be erected would no longer be required to submit the aforementioned performance bond. Please note that a similar request was brought to this Commission back in September of 2008 when a proposed VIPER/NC State Highway Patrol tower was being constructed at the old airport site along Tramway Road. At that time, the Joint Planning Commission did recommend an amendment to waive the performance bond; however, it was limited specifically to towers that provided "public safety" functions only. The CCCC tower does not meet the limited criteria of public safety and as a result are • required to submit the performance bond based on the UDO's current language.