[TowerTalk] Fwd: [wwdxc] Antenna Permit Query

Fri Nov 6 00:23:42 EST 2020

I agree with Mac.  Fred is THE MAN for this kind of stuff.

Even here, where the local zoning regulations specifically ALLOW ham 
radio towers, the amount of governmental nonsense and various other 
places laying in wait to trip me up was amazing. Fortunately Fred was 
able to guide me through it all, and help with the prep - we did not 
encounter any delay as a result and got our building permit on the first 
submission.

73/jeff/ac0c
alpha-charlie-zero-charlie
www.ac0c.com

On 11/5/20 9:48 PM, Mac wrote:
> You can "play" with this situation or just cut to the chase...
>
> call email get in touch with Fred Hopengarten k1vf  arrl director, but 
> more ?   author of several Zoning and city conflicts each published by 
> arrl if you have differences with arrl,  get over it.. use Fred.. you 
> can fiddle fart around trying to save some money or use "the local 
> Guy"  but that's all you're gonna do is fiddle around ..  Fred has so 
> damn much experience and is the consummate professional at this, he 
> visits with the city attorney on this if the city atty has even half a 
> brain, fred's logic and experience walks the city smuck thru it all,  
> gives him/her good sound reasoning and support for them to advise the 
> building dept or zoning/and or council.. they can all take the advice 
> keep their integrity and walk away knowing they are meeting the 
> minimum intent of PRB-1 esp if it has been codified by the 
> Governor/State..
>
> As i mentioned if your objective is to play with it and suffer the 
> angst frustration and all the other crap that goes along with it, do 
> it the path your own, you wanna win and be done with it, then call him...
>
> mac/mc  w5mc
>
> On 11/3/2020 11:04 AM, jcowens1 at comcast.net wrote:
>>>      ---------- Original Message ----------
>>>      From: Mike K7PI <bipi at comcast.net>
>>>      To: wwdxc at groups.io
>>>      Date: 11/03/2020 8:25 AM
>>>      Subject: [wwdxc] Antenna Permit Query
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>      Hello All,
>>>
>>>
>>>      The vice chair of our local emergency communications group here 
>>> on Mercer Island is Pat Hackett, K7PTH. Pat works closely with our 
>>> city police, fire, and local government to ensure we have trained 
>>> radio operators and procedures that will effectively provide crucial 
>>> communications in the event of a major disaster.  While our local 
>>> communications are VHF/UHF we also depend on HF for off-island and 
>>> inter-state communications.
>>>
>>>
>>>      Pat has recently upgraded to a General Class license and John 
>>> Banbury (AG7N) and myself have been helping her plan a low profile 
>>> but effective HF antenna installation. She has chosen a US Towers 
>>> ALM31 crank up mast with a 2 element STEPPIR 6-40m yagi. The maximum 
>>> height of the mast is 31 feet and lowered it is less than 8 feet. 
>>> The mast with payload is rated at 65 MPH steady wind speed with an 
>>> 85 MPH 3-second gust. Payload is rated at 8 sq-ft and 50 lbs weight. 
>>> The 2 ele STEPPIR she plans on using has a wind load rating of 6 
>>> sq-ft and weighs in less than 50 lbs including the chosen rotator.
>>>
>>>
>>>      Pat applied for a Mercer Island building permit to erect the 
>>> mast providing all of the design calculations for the mast 
>>> installations. The city has come back stating that the mast is an 
>>> "auxiliary structure" and as such must have maximum height 
>>> restriction of 17 feet and design wind speed of 110 MPH. After 
>>> supplying the city with a copy of PRB-1 they have relaxed the height 
>>> requirement but still require the 110 MPH design wind speed. The 
>>> lowered mast will be installed on the North side of Pat's house and 
>>> will be completely blocked from our SW storm wind direction. 
>>> Furthermore, if the mast were to fail for any reason, it would land 
>>> well within the footprint of her property boundaries. All utilities 
>>> are buried so that also is no issue.
>>>
>>>
>>>      So, we are in the process of gathering information to help push 
>>> this permit through the city's zoning department. It appears that 
>>> the city would like to approve the permit but they need some way of 
>>> justifying relaxing the requirements for the category classification 
>>> of the mast. To that end, Pat is in the process of reaching out to 
>>> several lawyers with related tower/antenna/zoning experience. In 
>>> addition, I am reaching out to our WWDXC members who have either 
>>> obtained a permit or found that no permit was required for their 
>>> tower installation and to briefly supply the following information:
>>>
>>>
>>>      1. Your callsign.
>>>
>>>      2. Your local zoning jurisdiction.
>>>
>>>      3. Permit required?
>>>
>>>      4. A brief description of your installation, i.e., height, 
>>> antennas
>>>
>>>      5. How the tower/antenna was characterized, i.e., structure, 
>>> antenna, other?
>>>
>>>      6. Design wind speed requirement.
>>>
>>>      7. Any relaxation of requirements due to site specific 
>>> considerations.
>>>
>>>      8. Any links to local zoning requirements related to antenna 
>>> permitting (if possible).
>>>
>>>      9. Any other helpful comments you might have.
>>>
>>>
>>>      Thank you for reading this lengthy email and we appreciate any 
>>> information received.
>>>
>>>
>>>      73 de Mike
>>>
>>>      K7PI
>>>
>>>      _._,_._,_
>>>
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