Codes and Zone Laws for Base Antennas

Be aware!
When you think that everything is running smooth as silk and then Murphy's Law comes out of the woods.
The tip of my Solarcon MAX 2000 is forty-six feet above the ground. The highest obstacle (galvanized chimney pipe) on my house is twenty-feet above the ground. I noticed two guys from the City Code Enforcement's Office taking photos of my antenna from their work truck and I immediately approached them to ask why. Apparently someone called-in to file a complaint. He handed me a copy of the Zoning Code relating to antenna heights. Unknown to me, the zoning code states that the top of the antenna cannot be more than ten-feet above the roof unless I have prior approval from the Zoning Board. I asked him how high is the antenna and he said it is more than ten-feet above the roof. My question to him was; "your truck is about one-hundred feet from my house, how did you measure the height of the antenna sitting in the truck"? Before he started to trip on an answer I told him the exact height and yes I am in violation of the zoning code.
The good news is there is a Special Use appeal/ application for a situation as this one. Fill out the request, meet with the Zoning Board and bring any and all documents stating that the antenna must be higher than ten-feet in order to be affective. OK, I have everything I need and I've been unofficially informed that there shouldn't be any problems getting the approval, but......it all depends on the results of the five member voting team.
The bad news! I have to pay $100.00 to the city so as to get scheduled for the next Zoning Board meeting.
Ha! ha! ha! City bureaucracy at its best.
Oh well, life goes on!

loosecannon said:

have you checked into whether or not having an amateur radio license might make a difference?
LC

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Yes, that is what is in my favor because I did install the antenna with the intentions of getting into the Ham Radio arena after I get settled-in and start the process and get prepared. There is a clause in the city codes for amateur radio equipment. I think everything will be OK, but I have to go through the legal process. They will not disclose who complained, buy I think it was a woman on the next street. I told her to keep off my front lawn with her dog. My dog does his business in my backyard before I take him for a walk around he neighborhood.

BJ radionut said:

http://www.antennazoning.com/attachments/PRB1_Article.pdf

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Thank you very much for this information. I will print-out your reference and take it to my meeting with the Zoning Board. I also found; Antenna Height and Communications Effectiveness Second Edition / A Guide for City Planners and Amateur Radio Operators.

Captain Kilowatt said:

Regardless of your intentions PRB-1 will do you no good until AFTER you have your amateur ticket. As a note: It is quite easy to determine if an antenna is more than 10 feet above a roofline without actually having to leave the truck to measure it. You might have a hard time telling if it is 11 feet above the roofline but common sense will tell you it is above 10 feet if you have it at 46 feet as you said. They do not need to determine the actual height only that it exceeds a certain height.

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No argument from me. As I was looking out my front bay window I noticed the Code Enforcement person driving the truck very slowly towards my house and he stopped in front of my neighbors house and started taking photos of my house and the antenna. The antenna has been erected for about six months without a complaint. Yesterday I was informed by one of the neighborhood joggers of who called-in and filed a complaint. My hunch was right-on! The person who complained does not live on the same street as I do, but she use to walk her dog on my side of the street and let the dog "do his thing" on my lawn and a few other neighbors lawns until I approached her and told her to keep of my property.
When I explained to the Code Enforcement person that the antenna is currently being used for CB radio communication and later it will be used for amateur radio, that is when he handed me the document which explains the process to apply for a Special Use permit for antennas and towers.
I am confident this issue will be resolved. What aggravates me the most is the person who filed the complaint lives two streets away from me.

S&W357 said:

If your antenna and mast are not mounted on the roof or not attached to the house in any manner does that ordinance still apply?

If it doesn't perhaps you can mount the antenna away from the house...tree, tower.

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Yes, this includes towers and anything else. I feel confident this will work-out for me because there is a process to resolve this issue and I must remain "cool and calm" and let (hope) the system work.

Blackcat630 said:

Get your license and tell the zoning board it's for "amateur radio emergency communications" or something along those lines.. if they view you as a public servant when the poo hits the fan.. they probably will go along with it.. oh yeah and pay the bureaucracy their $100... In my opinion, they are serving a public position why do YOU have to pay them anything just to meet with them? You sure you dont live in Illinois??

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I haven't been able to find the true answer as to why I have to pay the city. Maybe the $100.00 is for coffee and doughnuts for the meeting. The clincher is, no matter if they vote to give or not give me the Special Use Permit, the $100.00 is gone!

S&W357 said:

If your antenna and mast are not mounted on the roof or not attached to the house in any manner does that ordinance still apply?

If it doesn't perhaps you can mount the antenna away from the house...tree, tower.

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Also, the antennas are to be installed at the back of the house. My antenna is attached to the side of my garage but they are not pursuing that issue.