Public Hearing Notice - Variance Request to Telecommunications Tower Ordinance of Transylvania County

Notice is hereby given that the Transylvania County Board of Commissioners will conduct a public hearing on a variance request to the Telecommunications Tower Ordinance of Transylvania County. The primary purposes of the Telecommunications Tower Ordinance are to provide a uniform framework for evaluating proposals; avoid potential damage from tower failure and falling ice; to maximize use of existing and new towers; minimize potential hazards to low flying aircraft; to restrict towers that adversely detract from the natural beauty of the mountains; to minimize the negative economic impact on tourism and scientific research; and to minimize adverse effects towers may have on property values.

On October 18, the Planning Board reviewed and considered a Telecommunications Tower application for a 150’ monopole, submitted by USCOC of Greater NC, LLC. This application requires a variance because the request is to build a new cell tower less than ½ mile from an existing tower, and less than 100 feet below the elevation of a protected mountain ridge. The Planning Board recommended that the Board of Commissioners approve the variance request to replace an existing tower with a cell tower, only if a workable lease cannot be obtained to allow colocation on a neighboring tower. This recommendation was made to address the need for cell coverage to increase safety in Cedar Mountain and DuPont State Recreational Forest.

Copies of the Telecommunications Tower application are available in the Office of Planning and Community Development, 106 E. Morgan Street, Suite 207, Brevard, weekdays from 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m..

The public hearing will be held during the regular meeting of the Board of Commissioners on Tuesday, November 13, 2018 at 9:00 a.m. in the Commissioners’ Chambers, County Administration Building, 101 S. Broad Street, Brevard. For more information about the public hearing, contact the Clerk to the Board at (828) 884-3271. For questions about the proposed tower, contact the Planning and Community Development Office at (828) 884-3205.