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 Carteret County
 Code of Ordinances
 Appendix F. TALL STRUCTURES
 Article 4. COMMUNICATION TOWERS

§ 4-1. General.  

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  • The Telecommunications Act of 1996 affirmed the county's authority concerning the placement, construction, and modification of wireless telecommunications facilities. North Carolina General Statutes governing the regulation of Wireless Telecommunication Facilities, § 153A, Article 18, Part 3B, provide for the safe and efficient integration of facilities necessary for the provision of advanced wireless telecommunications services throughout the county and to ensure the ready availability of reliable wireless services to the public, government agencies, and first responders, with the intention of furthering the public safety and general welfare.

    In order to insure that the placement, construction, or modification of wireless telecommunications facilities is consistent with the county's land use policies, the county is adopting a single, comprehensive, wireless telecommunications facilities application and permitting process as a part of this Tall Structures Ordinance.

    The intent is to minimize the physical impact of wireless telecommunications facilities on the county; to protect the nature, character, and quality of life of and within the county, to the extent reasonably possible; to establish a fair and efficient process for review and approval of applications; to assure an integrated, comprehensive review of environmental impacts of such facilities; and to protect the health, safety and welfare of the county and its residents.

    The purpose of this Wireless Telecommunications Ordinance is to provide for the public health, safety and welfare by ensuring that residents, businesses and public safety operations in Carteret County have reliable access to wireless telecommunications networks and state of the art mobile broadband communications services while also ensuring that this objective is accomplished according to Carteret County's zoning, planning, and design standards and applicable safety codes, such as ANSI 222.

    By enacting this Ordinance it is Carteret County's intent to ensure that Carteret County has sufficient wireless infrastructure to support its public safety communications throughout Carteret County and to ensure access to reliable wireless communications services throughout all areas of Carteret County.

    To accomplish these objectives, the county hereby adopts an overall policy to review, approve, and issue permits for wireless telecommunications facilities that will:

    4-1.1.

    Be fair and consistent.

    4-1.2.

    Promote the sharing and/or co-location of wireless telecommunications facilities among service providers wherever possible.

    4-1.3.

    Encourage the placement, height, and quantity of wireless telecommunications facilities in such a manner as to minimize the physical and visual impact on the community, wherever possible, including but not limited to, the use of stealth technology.

    4-1.4.

    Ensure that the site that is approved for a wireless telecommunications facility is the least visually intrusive among those available in the county, given the facts and circumstances.

(Ord. of 1-13-14(3))