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JAN 5 199 BOOK 91 FAFE420 -1 Director Boling added that the amendment is an attempt to balance legitimate zoning considerations in residential areas with the interests of amateur radio operators, recognizing their value to the community. Dan Bedford, stated that he lives next to "one of these monstrosities." He asked the Commission to keep the height of these towers as low as possible, and to include the overall height in the description of a tower. He pointed out that his neighbor's tower has an antenna on top which requires separate additional guy wires. He maintained that transmission towers cause interference in TV reception and devalue neighborhood property. David Brower, who spoke at the December 14 public hearing and still had some problems with the requirements. He disagreed with the definition of "tower." He thought a more accurate definition for "tower" is "antenna support structure," and that it should be measured at that height. Mr. Brower quoted from Section 911.151(a), which lists the following exceptions to height limitations: chimneys, flag poles, windmills, solar energy collectors and similar structures. He thought it would be easy to add amateur radio antennae and antenna support structures to the exceptions in section 911.151(a) Bill Rockledge, an amateur radio operator for 25 years, maintained that the requirements are limited to aesthetics. Apparently staff has not received any reports on safety problems. Attorney Vitunac recounted that a speaker at the December 14 public hearing testified that towers sometimes fall down. That person stated that when they do fall, they bend at their weakest point. Mr. Rockledge stated that he presently has a tower that can tilt over in case of a storm, but he lived in New Hampshire where the ice and snow and the wind load are severe and his tower never fell down. Mr. Rockledge asked about the prohibition of guy wire anchors in the easement. He noted that fences and other structures are allowed on the property line, public works and FP&L are allowed to screw guy wire anchors into the ground within the easement, and he asked why amateur radio operators cannot do the same. Director Boling confirmed that there is a provision in the existing regulations for a 10 -foot separation from the guy wire anchor point to the property line. He assumed that it is a safety measure because of the potential of disturbing that guy wire. The 10