Sago offers compromise on tower rules

Richmond County (North Carolina) Manager Rick Sago is recommending a less stringent version of a ordinance dealing with radio towers.

The Richmond County Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing regarding the issue Monday night.

The tower code has been a controversial issue for those in the county. Ham radio operators and some commercial radio stations oppose the new ordinance because of fees and permitting issues.

But during the February commissioners’ meeting, board chairman Kenneth Robinette said, “AM/FM radios that already exist are grandfathered into this ordinance. The only time a fee will apply is if you increase the height of the tower or construct a brand new tower.”

“When we were asked to look at this ordinance we were just trying to protect the property values of adjacent property owners,” he said. “For Ham radio towers, the $150 fee is only for towers that are 50 feet or higher. Again, all towers existing are grandfathered in. We’re just looking out for the health and safety of the citizens of Richmond County. And I just wanted to clarify some things because there’s been a lot of misunderstanding.”

Sago responded to a report that is in Monday’s agenda packet.

“I know you all continue to hear from citizens concerning the tower code,” Sago wrote. “I think the majority are from the Ham operators. In an effort to understand the Ham operators concerns I have been exchanging information with one of them. Based on conversations I have had with this operator and phone calls from a few commissioners, I would like to propose an ordinance revision to allow the Ham towers less than 90 feet to continue to follow the same rules that they presently do.

“The main question is, are we trying to solve a problem that does not exist? As you know, amateur radio (Ham) operators exist all over the world. Typically the radios are a hobby for the operators. However, during times of crisis (weather disaster, etc.) Ham radios are often the first line of communication to relay information to emergency officials.

"These radios and antennas are for personal amateur use and not typically used in a “for profit” enterprise. We know there are many Ham operators in Richmond County, all of which have some type of antenna. Although I have only been here 13 years, I do not recall one instance where we received a complaint concerning a Ham antenna tower.”

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