G.T. group eyes ham-radio antennas

[Wrightwood]

Joe Nelson, Staff Writer
GRAND TERRACE - There cannot be a bureaucracy without myriad committees, and this bedroom community of 12,000 people now has its own ham-radio antenna committee.

The City Council on Tuesday approved the formation of a committee so city officials can receive input from ham-radio enthusiasts on a proposed ordinance regulating ham-radio antennas. City officials had no idea how many ham-radio operators there are in the city.

As it is currently written, the ordinance would restrict antenna height to a maximum of 20 feet and have no more than one additional whip antenna.

Residents would also be required to get a building permit from the city, and property owners within a 300-foot radius of a proposed antenna site would have to be notified.

A dozen people - nine citizens and three city officials, including Councilwoman Lee Ann Garcia, City Manager Tom Schwab and Assistant City Manager Steve Berry - comprise the committee.

The committee's first meeting has yet to be scheduled.

Some ham-radio operators are volunteers in the city's Community Emergency Response Training.

The operators could play a vital role if conventional means of communication fail during an emergency or natural disaster such as an earthquake, Garcia said.

The city must also have a mechanism in place to assure that ham-radio operators or their equipment do not have an adverse impact on neighborhoods.

"I just think that the ham (radio) operators are important for our community," Garcia said. "We want to accommodate their needs while maintaining the integrity and quality of our neighborhoods."

The push for the ordinance started about three years ago, when Lark Street resident Hans Ehlert erected a 35-foot antenna on his property.

Frustrated neighbors complained to city officials. Some moved away.

The city subsequently ordered Ehlert to take the antenna down or get a permit.

Ehlert applied for a permit, but for a 75-foot antenna - more than twice the size of the one he originally erected.

The city responded by placing a moratorium on the approval of any new applications for ham-radio antennas until an ordinance could be drafted.

[SkierBob]

City officials had no idea how many ham-radio operators there are in the city.

Once city officials find out how may ham radio operators are living in their city and voting they might change their mind..

The building permit requirement is b.s. and just another way for the city to make revenue.  City of Palmdale charged my buddy $9,000.00 for a permit to install a Burgy wind generator.  So when I read in todays Valley Press that the city was laying off people,, I thought it couldn't happen to a nicer bunch of _ricks.

http://avpress.com/n/27/0327_s2.hts

[clint]

[clint]

And by the way, it's only a matter of time before someone sues a community over this, siting the FCCs RF exposure safety regulations. If you erect a gain antenna (which amplifies your radiated power) on a 30'-35' tower and run "legal limit" (1500 watts) you are going to cook someones brain in the house next door. Or if you run that power on an inverted V dipole on a 30' tower and someone receives RF burns from touching your antenna because the ends are at ground level...


The community enacting the restriction is forcing you to either restrict your operation unreasonably, or they are causing you to operate in violation of part 97. And, the restriction is endangering public health and safety.

[SkierBob]

I'd put my antenna up following ffc regs and then let the city fight me to take it down. 

I'm still curious what cost of the permit would be.. something got me going down the path that it was a building permit.  If it was any other type of permit I don't think it falls under the city's juristdiction.  In the case of my friends Burgy the building permit was over %20 of the entire cost.

yep,, it looks like they want a building permit for a 20ft tall antenna,,   

[CA5th]

This is the California Government Code section.  It seems that Grand Terrace may be going down the road that another city did when they enacted a very restrictive ordinance.  Cost them money and lots of embarresment in the media.  The ham who had to take his tower down, got to but it back up at the City's expense. 

65850.3.  Any ordinance adopted by the legislative body of a city or
county that regulates amateur radio station antenna structures shall
allow those structures to be erected at heights and dimensions
sufficient to accommodate amateur radio service communications, shall
not preclude amateur radio service communications, shall reasonably
accommodate amateur radio service communications, and shall
constitute the minimum practicable regulation to accomplish the city'
s or county's legitimate purpose.
   It is the intent of the Legislature in adding this section to the
Government Code, to codify in state law the provisions of Section
97.15 of Title 47 of the Code of Federal Regulations, which expresses
the Federal Communications Commission's limited preemption of local
regulations governing amateur radio station facilities.

[SkierBob]

This is the California Government Code section.  It seems that Grand Terrace may be going down the road that another city did when they enacted a very restrictive ordinance.  Cost them money and lots of embarrassment in the media.  The ham who had to take his tower down, got to but it back up at the City's expense. 

I think most public officials are to stupid to see their own embarrassment in themedia..  thus the saying 'ignorance is bliss'.