Nevada County is inviting public comments by Aug. 8 on a draft ordinance updating the County’s 20-year-old cell tower regulations.
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. It incorporates feedback from those who attended a public hearing in March.
Some changes in the proposed ordinance are:
- Adding radio frequency monitoring after a cell tower is installed.
- 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.
- Expanding how far out the County must notify nearby property owners about new cell tower projects.
- Requiring additional supporting information with project applications such as more robust alternative site analysis.
Nevada County receives about three applications a year for new cell towers.
Comments must be provided in writing by 5 p.m. Aug. 8 to Associate Planner David Nicholas at David.Nicholas@NevadaCountyCa.gov or 950 Maidu Ave., Suite 170, Nevada City, Calif. 95959.
The ordinance is expected to go before the Planning Commission in September and before the Board of Supervisors in November.