[TowerTalk] Tower regulatory climate in Fort Collins - Loveland, CO area

Fri Jul 18 02:20:27 EDT 2008

I have recent experience with this very thing.
You won't need a lawyer, qualification letters etc......that's just
nonsense.

Decide on the general area you think it is possible to have antennas and
then contact several realtors and have them set you up to get automatic
emails with the listings.
This will minimize your realtor contact and be hassle free.

Don't waste your time with subdivisions.....it simply ain't gonna happen.

Try to depend on realtors as little as possible.
You are going to have to take the responsibility and do the legwork to find
out immediately what the deed restrictions and covenants are on a property
you are interested in. You can do this yourself or ask the realtor to have
it faxed from the county folks.

Don't waste your and the realtors time with properties that you are not
excited about.
Especially at first.....be patient....this is gonna be tough....it took me a
year and a half to find this place and I love it. Look it up on Google
Earth.

You can also look at interesting properties on Google Earth to view the
surrounding area especially if you are not familiar with the area.

When you get an email listing that looks interesting....do a drive by.
If it passes the external visual....call the realtor for a fax of the deed
restrictions and covenants. (they are really the same thing except covenants
are generally for subdivisions and deed restrictions are generally for more
rural areas)
At the same time, make an appointment to see the inside.
You should be quick about it and call with a cell phone right away and most
of the time you can go straight to the realtor's office and the fax will be
waiting for you. 
If a realtor is not pro-active and responds slowly....get another one.

Previously, you should have contacted the county office to find out if a
permit is required for a tower and what paperwork you need to show. Some
counties take it upon themselves to put a higher wind load requirement that
your tower may have. If this is the case you can ask to show your tower
specs and they will probably sign it off. 
Remember that these folks don't know anything about amateur towers...their
reality, concern and understanding is on cell towers.

If your property is in the city limits but not in a subdivision, contact the
city folks and inquire if a permit is required and if so ask if the
neighbors are notified.
The neighbors can prevent the permit if they respond in the negative.
The city can also put all kinds of requirements on you to disguise or hide
the tower, keep it lowered when not in use...etc...bla, bla.

Try to find a place in county land.....it is much, much easier and will
probably be similar to this county that requires no permit at all and only
asks that if the tower is over 100 feet to call and let them know so they
can 'register' it with the FAA.
That is total bs of course but that's what they said!

Oh....never and I mean NEVER.....sign an exclusive contract with a realtor.
This will lock you into that one person usually for 6 months and really
restrict your freedom of action.
Remember....they want to sell you anything you will sign for....
Don't get railroaded when the realtor tells you that they won't work for you
without a contract.
If they demand a signed contract....walk away quickly....get another
realtor....there's a million of em'.

Regards

Dave Harmon
K6XYZ[at]sbcglobal[dot]net
Sperry, Ok.

-----Original Message-----
From: towertalk-bounces at contesting.com
[mailto:towertalk-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Richards
Sent: Thursday, July 17, 2008 11:43 PM
To: John Becker
Cc: towertalk at contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Tower regulatory climate in Fort Collins -
Loveland, CO area

Get a lawyer to help you.   Realtors, bless their souls, are often not
truly qualified to comment on such zoning and regulatory matters.
It might take you some time to fine one really qualified.  Get him to
give you a retainer letter wherein he explains his expertise and that
he is knowledgeable on the subject, and limiting his research time to
a flat fee (if he will agree to it) otherwise you may end up giving him
a blank check.   Get an opinion in writing as to the viability of a tower
at your prospective location.  Have him pass opinion on the title, and
check the muniments of title in the public record for deed and other
forms of common restrictions, especially in platted developments
and Planned Unit Developments (PUDs).    Spend some money and
do it right.   You could spend a quarter of a Million dollars for a home
and not be able to do what you want with it.    Or worse!  That is just
an average price in many places these days.

Ask the local zoning officials and check local zoning regulations and
township/municipal codes before deciding.   Some title insurance
examiners can help herein.

Not to diss Realtors, but they are often not well informed about such
exotic and esoteric legal matters and, regardless of what they say
about being "experts", at least in my bailiwick, they are not lawyers
and should not give legal opinions and are not adequately trained in
the law.    They do provide a useful marketing service for which they
can be invaluable.

Consider my favorite Italian restaurant cannot get a liquor license
from the township.  The Realtor who arranged the lease claimed he
knew it all, and said they could get a liquor license within 6 months of
opening.  NOT.   Bad advice and woefully harmful to their business plan.
... Imagine... a big plate of lasagna without a glass of chianti!
Arghh.... How gauche !

That would almost as sad as an amateur station without a tower!

Just MY take.   ========   K8JHR  ========

==============================================

John Becker wrote:
> I'm starting to look into possible relocation to this area. Can anyone 
> tell me how easy or difficult it is to find a place to live where I can 
> put up a 70' tower? Thanks!

=================================================
_______________________________________________

_______________________________________________
TowerTalk mailing list
TowerTalk at contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk