THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, August 14, 1996 TAG: 9608140312
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MAC DANIEL, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE LENGTH: 44 lines
The Planning Commission will consider a proposed ordinance tonight to help regulate the proliferation of cellular telephone and communications antenna towers in Chesapeake.
City planners said Tuesday that the ordinance, drawn up over several months by the city and revised with the help of the communications companies, would give the city the tools to deal with an expected onslaught of applications for new towers.
Since 1968, Chesapeake has approved 48 communications towers. Four were approved in 1995. In the first six months of this year, there have been about 10 applications.
As cellular and digital communications industries grow, these numbers are expected to soar.
``This is a drop in the bucket,'' city planner Joan D. McDowell said.
``The reason we did the ordinance . . . was to try and reduce the number of towers needed in the city of Chesapeake,'' McDowell said. ``We don't want Chesapeake to become a tower farm.''
The city has concentrated on forcing competing communications providers to co-locate, meaning they will have to share towers for their antennas.
In addition, Chesapeake would allow towers on municipal property for the first time in the city's history.
It is one means of ``always and forever'' keeping towers out of residential areas, McDowell said.
Changes suggested in the new ordinance include:
Added wording in the definition of ``building-supported antenna'' that would include the possibility of mounting an antenna on existing structures, such as a church steeple.
An increase in the number of antennas permitted on any one building. The limit would be revised from 10 antennas to five ``antenna arrays,'' or groups of antennas. City planners say the change could mean up to 45 antennas allowed per building. ILLUSTRATION: MEETING TONIGHT
The Planning Commission meets at 7 tonight in the City Council
chambers of City Hall.
Speakers are encouraged to sign up before the meeting to speak. by CNB