[TowerTalk] Help with PE certification of tower in NJ

[Bob A. Booey]

Hello Tower Gurus,

I have installed a 55 foot Rohn 25 antenna tower on my property, secured to the side of the house under the eve with a HBUTVRO (HD house bracket) at 21 feet and guyed with Phillystran HPTG2100I (2100 lb.) at 50 or so feet.  Two guys are secured with 3000 lb. screw anchors out 45 feet (like the Rohn GAS604 but rated a little higher) and the third goes into an eye anchor (like the GAW 25) in the house roof through two sistered roof joists.

The problem is that the township (Brick) got after me for permits after I had put the tower up (but before I put the antenna up).  After a (long) time of them trying to figure out what was needed, they asked me to file for permits, which I did.  They said that if the base wasn't a footing (i.e. another bracket with cantilever), that I would not have had to get permits.  the tower top is less than 20 feet above the peak of the house roof.  Anyway, I supplied all the pertinent Rohn design information on the guying details (110 MPH zone, about 10 min from ocean), concrete base, antenna wind load (ATB-34, 5.5 sq. ft.), etc...

After a bunch more time they came back and said I need to have the design and installation certified by a licensed PE.  I consulted a friend who once had a tower in Wall, NJ.  He concurred on the PE thing but thought that there was something in the International Building Code allowing towers attached to a house to be up to 30 feet above the peak of the roof (without PE certification?)

So, I am writing this to ask:

- The advice of anyone in NJ who has erected a tower and what is required (If a PE cert., a recommendation would be great)

- Any critique of the design as I have described it.

- Any advice about the year 2000 IBC (what Brick cited) as it pertains to a tower attached to the house but with a concrete base.

Thanks in advance and 73,

Bob, WA2T