Oconee County
Proposed Zoning Information
Oconee County
Proposed Zoning Information
ANSWERS TO SOME COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT
Quick Link to Questions About:
SETBACKS
AND HEIGHT RESTRICTIONS
1. What rules govern
towers and collocations in
All new towers and collocations of antenna arrays must comply with
standards put forth in the
2. What is a “new” tower?
A new tower is any proposed structure designed to support at least one antenna,
antenna array, or other telecommunications broadcasting or receiving
device. Such structures may be free
standing; or supported by or attached to another structure. “Stealth” towers (towers designed to be
unobtrusive), unless specifically exempted by the Unified Performance Standards
Ordinance, are subject to all regulations governing new towers. All new towers must be approved by the Board
of Zoning Appeals as a special exception to the Unified Performance Standards
Ordinance.
A collocate is the installation of an additional antenna, antenna
array, or other telecommunications broadcast or receiving device on an existing
structure. All collocates require a Land
Use Permit, but are typically approved administratively by the Planning
Director.
4. Does an upgrade of an existing antenna array require a Land Use Permit?
Typically, a simple upgrade or change out of an existing antenna and/or
associated components is not considered to be an additional collocate, and
therefore does not require a Land Use Permit; however, contact the Planning
Department to be sure. Be aware that all
such work does usually require a
Building Permit. Contact the Building
Codes Department for more information.
5. What permits are needed
for new towers and collocates in
Applicants seeking to build a new tower or collocate
an antenna array on an existing structure must obtain both a Land Use Permit
and a Building Permit. Land Use Permits
are issued by the Planning Department, and Building
Permits are issued by the Building Codes Department. The Land Use Permit must be obtained prior to applying for a Building
Permit.
Click Here
for a Land Use Permit application.
6. What documentation is required for a Land Use Permit application?
Applicants seeking to build a new tower must provide the Planning Department with two (2)
complete copies of the Land Use Permit application packet. The application packet must include:
Completed Application Form
Tower Specifications and
Drawings
Site Plan
Location Map
Owner’s Authorization (Permission Letter or Copy
of
Lease/Deed)
Visual Impact Analysis*
*Most applicants fulfill
this requirement with photos of a “balloon test” and a written evaluation of
the visual impact from all directions.
Applicants seeking to collocate an
antenna array on an existing structure
must provide the Planning Department with one (1) copy of a Land Use Permit application
packet that must include:
Completed Application Form
Antenna Specifications and
Drawings
Location Map
Owner’s Authorization
(Permission Letter or Copy of Lease)
7. What is the application fee for towers and
collocates?
The Land Use Permit application fee for both towers and
collocates is $1000.00. All
checks should be made payable to
8. Is it possible to apply for multiple collocations on a single application?
9. How long does the application process take?
The time needed to complete the application process
varies. For all Land Use Permit applications
received by the Planning Department, the Planning Director has up to 45 days to
act. This time period does not begin
until ALL materials and fees have been received. Land Use Permit applications for collocations
on existing structures may be approved by the Planning Director
administratively, which typically expedites the process, often resulting in the
issuance of a Land Use Permit in less than 30 days.
All Land Use Permit applications for new towers must be
reviewed by the County’s technical consultant.
Review fees vary according to the complexity of each application, and
are based upon the consultant’s hourly rate.
The applicant is responsible for paying all review fees. No permit will be issued until all fees are
paid.
Following receipt of the consultant’s findings, the
Planning Department submits the application to the Board of Zoning Appeals,
which hears the applicant’s appeal for a Land Use Permit at a public
hearing. Most public hearings occur at
the earliest regularly scheduled monthly meeting (2nd Thursday night
of each month) following submission to the Board. All new towers are approved by special
exception to the Performance Standards Ordinance.
10. Who is the primary contact person?
Currently, the
11. How are decisions appealed?
Pleas for appeal of the Planning Director’s decisions must be made to
the Board of Zoning Appeals. Pleas for appeal
of the Board of Zoning Appeals’ decisions must be made to the S.C. Circuit
Court.
12. Are temporary use
towers allowed in
Cells On Wheels (COW’s)
and other temporary equipment are acceptable, provided the usage is properly
permitted as part of the installation of a permanent device. An applicant seeking permission to use
temporary equipment must provide detailed information on the Land Use Permit
application, including the equipment’s anticipated length of service. In the event that a permitted permanent
antenna system is unable to be completed in the time period specified on the
Land Use Permit application, the Planning Director may grant additional
time.
13. What are the minimum
setback requirements for new towers?
Tower height plus 50 feet from all property lines, rights-of-way, and
structures deemed occupiable by adopted building
codes (this excludes storage buildings, barns, and other accessory
structures). In addition, all guy cables
and anchors must be located at least 20 feet from property lines.
14. What is the maximum allowable height of a new tower in
Towers located in residential areas may be no more than 175’ tall; in commercial areas, 200’ tall; and in agricultural or industrial areas, 250’ tall.
15. What permits are required to add a height extension to
an existing tower?
Collocations requiring no more than a 20’ height extension may be approved administratively as a regular collocation. Collocations requiring height extensions greater than 20’ must be permitted as a new tower.