[Towertalk] Building Permit or Not

[Howard Brainen]

I've been reading these and thought I'd tell my short story.

When I bought my house in 1986, the location just called out for a tower.
560 elevation with steep drop off from 300 degrees around north to 70
degrees.  Hill to the south about 120 feet higher than house.  Almost 2
acres of land so room for guy wires.

I made my offer on the house contingent on no restrictions in the CCR's and
no neighbors who would complain.  The real estate agent did a good job of
talking to the HOA and neighbors.  He introduced me to the three neighbors
adjacent to the property.  No problems there.  The HOA said they wouldn't
object as long as the neighbors didn't have a problem with it.

NOTE:  I didn't tell them I was going to put up something huge.

So I buy the house and put up small stuff, starting with  a 5 element 10m
beam on a roof mount tower.  Get them used to the idea.  I take two years to
get to know neighbors as best I can (it's not the midwest!) and always talk
about ham radio when I see people around.  Ask them if any problems or
interference.

I inquired of the city building and zoning depts several times.  Similar
experience as many of you.  Each time I would call or go in, I'd get a
different story.  Some said no permit required, some said it was required,
some said a public hearing would be required. Again, I didn't tell them the
size of what I wanted to do (150' rotating tower)and never gave them my
name!

In the end, I took the advice of some friends with big towers (and no
permits) to "just do it."  We did engineer the entire job up to and beyond
Rohn's specs.  We made the guy anchor holes bigger and deeper than required.
We made the base deeper.  We used heavier rebar.  We also photographed
everything, including people standing in the holes, holding tape measures
showing how big they were.  The thought was that if the city came after me
later, I could show it was done to code and hopefully keep it up.

It has been up since 1989, and there haven't been any problems.  There are
trees hiding it on 3 sides so most neighbors don't even see it.  And its
amazing how many people have actually come to the house, stood under it on
the rear deck and don't see it!

So that's my story.  Your mileage may vary.

73, Howard WZ6Z