Broadband Task Force Team C: Permitting Process

Transcription

1 Bradband Task Frce Team C: Permitting Prcess 1/24/2014 Cunty Office Building, Chris Greene Cnference Rm Attendees: Sarah Baldwin, Michael Culp, Baylr Fks, Philip Freeman, Bill Fritz, Pat Grt, Valerie Lng, Dan Meenan, Liz Palmer, Marshall Pearsall Gal: The gal f this team is t discuss ways t help prviders rll ut mre bradband infrastructure (wired and wireless) in the Cunty and cme up with recmmendatins fr Bard review the first reprt needs t be finished by late March in rder t be reviewed by the Cunty Attrney and Cunty Executive befre it is given t the Bard f Supervisrs at their first meeting in April. Mike kicked ff the meeting by asking service prviders t share their struggles surrunding building mre bradband infrastructure within Albemarle Cunty, in relatin t the Cunty s permitting prcess. Service prviders suggested that tw big hurdles are advancing the netwrk (i.e., building new twers) and upgrading existing twers (i.e., frm 3G t 4G; adding remte radi heads) Even with changes the Cunty made ~6 mnths ag, building new twers and upgrading existing nes is still difficult, chiefly because f the required distance frm a dwelling (500 ft) One prblem service prviders run int when replacing structures at stealth sites (that may have rtted, been damaged, etc.) is that there is a regulatin as t hw clse the new twer must be t the existing structure (10 ft) having t place a new structure in the exact same spt can mean that the netwrk is dwn fr a few days r even a week Bill welcmed service prviders t send him infrmatin that culd help him infrm changes and advised everyne that the Cunty is already lking at changing: Antenna size (current size limitatin is 1,152 square inches) this wuld apply t new cnstructin and changes alike Munting requirements, s that antennas can physically dwn-tilt (currently, they can nly flush munt) Lking at changing the number f arrays n a facility (current limit is 3); may redefine arrays if necessary Bill clarified that if a cmpany wanted t attach an array t an existing structure and it was nt a significant change (as utlined in the rdinance) then it des nt need t g thrugh the building permitting prcess Example: If a service prvider wanted t attach an array t an existing structure and they culd nt build belw the existing array, they culd make it taller (if, in accrdance with the rdinance, it 1

2 wuld nt becme 10 feet taller than the tallest tree, is nt within 500 feet f a dwelling, and meets ther criteria) withut ging thrugh the permitting prcess. Typical time frm submittal f applicatin t zning apprval (nt including issuance f the permit): Tier 1: Tier 1 is much less expensive (the fee) and takes less time than Tiers 2 & 3 Tier 2: 45 t 60 days (treetp twers r expanding an existing twer) Tier 3: 90 t 150 days (special use permit) Tier 3 is a legislative act that ges t the Bard f Supervisrs Bill infrmed the grup that the Cunty already has a staff member dedicated t handling Tier 1 permits Valerie asked hw the Cunty might cmmunicate this better Because the rdinance is already difficult t understand Because there is a lt f turnver in the industry and new representatives find it difficult t navigate thrugh the permitting prcess Anther suggestin was t have a cnslidated place n the Cunty website t send service prvider representatives t, where the prcess is utlined and infrmatin is presented Suggestins fr expediting the permitting prcess r easing the burden n service prviders: Incentivizing prviders t g thrugh the prcess Questin f whether the Cunty culd help pay fr permits (this wuld likely have t be apprved by taxpayers) Has putting the prcess int the hands f staff (and nt cmmittee) saved time? Service prviders suggested that the permitting cst pales in cmparisn t the amunt f mney required t hire arbrists, engineers, & surveyrs, and t perfrm tree height/cnservatin studies Albemarle Cunty is the mst expensive area in the state fr service prviders t put up special use twers 2

3 Bill reminded everyne that the cmprehensive amendment (2013) t the cmprehensive plan (2000) aimed at making the prcess easier althugh the purpse and intent behind the rdinance has nt changed Still, the gal f the wireless services plan (in the cmprehensive plan) was/is visibility, visibility, visibility Liz asked service prviders the difference (cst-wise) between putting up a twer in Albemarle Cunty and the next mst expensive market Service prviders estimated a 20% difference, but reiterated that financials were nt the wrst thing, rather it is the Cunty s strict prtectin f aesthetics (said it is a catch 22 because service prviders want t prvide these service but ften cannt because f the rdinances) Bill tld everyne that the Cunty has prpsed t the Bard f Supervisrs allwing certain height by right, and will prpse anther phase f changes Albemarle Cunty is experiencing a re-emergence f public engagement (likely because f infill sites) Als, Liz gets s frm cnstituents wh are wrried that lw twers are a health risk, especially t children Liz tld us abut a study, cmmissined by the State f Vermnt, that is due ut sn Valerie said that many service prviders already cmmissin site safe studies Sme lack trust because f the cmpanies perfrming the assessments. What kind f public utreach might we perfrm t educate the public that there are nt health risks assciated with lw twers? Bill said that the nly new cncern he has heard frm citizens is the twer shuld be higher Pinted ut that the usage f wireless technlgy has changed dramatically since 2000, and nw it is mre f a right than a luxury Bill thinks the FCC will cntrl/change what lcalities can d we will have a gd idea in February, but will nt knw fr sure until April One service prvider asked hw cntested the 500 ft setback was 3

4 It was put in place because a resident asked the Bard f Supervisrs fr this staff is ging t ask the Bard t recnsider because it bumps a lt f sites frm Tier 1 t Tier 2 and has verburdened the Cunty with Tier 2 building permits Service prviders asked abut backhaul issues 4G requires fiber backhaul Questin f whether the Cunty is ging t pursue ERATE funding fr a fiber netwrk If the Cunty had lit fiber in the grund, culd a Cunty-wned building becme a nde/ht spt that culd prvide additinal service t a WISP (Wireless Internet Service Prvider)? Anther Bradband Task Frce Team is already wrking with the Cunty Attrney s Office t research this. 2 ptins fr lking fr planning grant funding: 1. Start with what a slutin lks like, then lk at grant limitatins t see if it fits 2. Start with a grant and tailr a slutin that fits. Valerie asked if we culd create a dcument/plicy highlighting and affirming that bradband/wireless is a gd, helpful, and desirable thing that aids bth ecnmic vitality and educatin We culd pint t this t advcate fr rdinance that allw structures, and weight it alngside the cmprehensive plan that is very fcused n prtecting views and natural beauty Mike suggested that ultimately, wireless is nt enugh we have t figure ut a way t get wired cnnectins in Albemarle Cunty, and that this Task Frce shuld help determine hw t fund mre wired cnnectins (which wuld als slve the view shed issue) 4

5 Fllw-Up: Hw lng des it take t get a Tier 1 building permit? (Bill) If smene gets a Tier 3 thrugh the permitting prcess, can the Cunty give them a benefit n the backend (such as helping t pay the fee)? (Bill will ask the Cunty Attrney s Office) Hw lng des it take t prepare an applicatin? (Dan will ask Debbie t gather time and third party csts) Infrmatin n Luisa Cunty/shared services prvider (Mike & Philip) Send grup a link t IRU (Mike) 5