The Nevada County Planning Commission will consider a proposed update of the County’s 20-year-old cell tower and facility regulations on Feb. 26.
The meeting is at 1:30 p.m. at the Board of Supervisors Chambers, 950 Maidu Ave., Nevada City and will be livestreamed on Nevada County’s YouTube channel.
The draft ordinance was prepared at the request of the Board of Supervisors to keep up with changes in technology over the past two decades and to address neighborhood concerns related to health, visual impacts and more.
Among the proposed changes are:
- Increasing setbacks for towers from 100% to 150% of tower height from property lines in all zoning districts except industrial. For example, a 100-foot tower would need to be at least 150 feet from the nearest property line.
- Adding radio frequency emission requirements. Applicants would be required to provide certification that radio frequency exposure does not exceed Federal Communications Commission standards.
- Doubling the public notification area for new communications towers. Today, property owners within 500 feet must be notified; under the proposed update, the radius would expand to 1,000 feet.
Nevada County receives about three applications a year for new cell towers.