[TowerTalk] Town Code Conundrum THANKS!

[Mark S. Adams, P.E.]

Hi Gang,

Here is my GROUP thank you for the MANY responses I received.

As I said, I had not run into a town in NY that did not specify Amateur 
Radio in its code regarding structures.  Everyone's opinion concurred with 
mine, that Newstead, NY does not regulate Amateur Radio towers by 
definition in its zoning laws.

All that said, I wrote to the Town zoning board requesting that they use me 
as a resource in modifying the local code to cover hams.  This way, a 
reasonable set of rules can be put into place.  I now live in the next town 
due west of Newstead, the Town of Clarence.  Not too many years ago 
Clarence did not have specific rules for hams.  One of the local DX club 
members helped the town craft its new rules.  If any of you have what you 
believe is a very good set of model zoning laws, please forward them to me!

So, I will keep working on them.  As I told the zoning folks, I am fully 
supportive of their efforts and these structures need to be accommodated, 
properly installed and maintained.

As a side note, we are in the 70 MPH zone for wind speed.  But yesterday, a 
wicked storm blew through WNY packing winds as high as 86 MPH as recorded 
at Niagara Falls airport.  (Actually, NF may be in the 80 MPH zone.)  The 
moral is, don't overload your tower.

73,
Mark K2QO
ARRL VCE
FAX: 716-829-2704