From the Email InBox & Gramps: Planning Commish

Pawww...

At last City of G.T. planning commission meeting it was announced that "at the next" meeting the new ordinance concerning the large vertical amateur radio antennas was to be discussed, but that got handled instead at an off agenda meeting later on.

Although announced, the new proposed (legislation) ordinance has been forwarded direct on to the City Council.

Many of the objectionable items noted in past meeting(s) have been sidestepped, and the ordinance is now re-written more to a Permit Required, and visible situation, in than Iff'n the tower would fall over it would not hurt any person or property. Thus every single person within Limits of G.T. could operate a radio station, long as it was assured it would not fall over and hurt anyone.

The staff and C.C. are deferring any Non-conformance in other matters, such as over modulation (television interference), size of antenna feelers (as required per frequency), and wattage (like as strong as local AM radio stations) to any FCC rule in effect. Thus if any of these three items come up and interfere with residents, they expect the residents to write to Washington D.C. and let the lone FCC examiner located in S.B investigate the problem. I think readers all know just how fast the Feds move. Back when, it took six years to shut down the world's largest C.B. radio station (50,000 watts) which was operating within the City Limits of San Bernardino. So, do not expect much to be done by City staff, once a new resident proposes to construct an antenna in a local backyard.

Only an update to General Plan is topic for next meeting on Thursday night. Next meeting is being set to discuss the "Housing Element" involved with current city General Plan. Most discussions have been sort of a rewriting and approving the variations to existing zoning and land uses, not in altering any of them.

Only alterations have been in applying one more approval, or rubber stamp, to the numerous SPECIFIC PLANS as proposed by the staff over past few years.

Essentially, what is being proposed is more of the same which we all endure. No changes. If you got a Non-conforming commercial firm next door to you, it will stay - - for ever. It can be sold, expanded etc. but that does not allow you to build an exact same business.

Gramps Adds:

Radio Antenna particularly Ham Radio Operators often are the ONLY Communication available in an emergency situation. Radio and Broadcasting is Regulated by the FCC and for the City of Grand Terrace to try to step into the regulatory business of the FCC and match the regulatory powers of the State and Federal Regulations would be a gross over-reaching of their authority. Given their past performance I don’t think they have the competence or integrity to regulate anything much less communications. So I for one suggest strongly that they back out of the issue, and limit their need to intervene where the whim falls upon them.

If there is a problem with radio interference the City SHOULD be able to guide the complaining resident to the proper authority, and may even support their observation of interference on the City’s Letter Head by letter to the appropriate authority. However, to make them as a final arbitrator or regulator is just something I don’t think is in their purview or competency.

I agree with the observation that the City Council will rubberstamp a City Staff Recommended Development or Conditional Use Permit… while leaving the rest of the citizens and businesses at a disadvantage being regulated and in some cases held at a competitive disadvantage under the Codes and Regulations enforced upon the rest of us.

For example, if you owned your house Pre- City can you park commercial vehicles and on your property just because you could have under the Codes existing at the time of the purchase of your home. I doubt that would hold water. What happens in this city is that codes are enforced for everyone except Friends of the Council and City Manager. The Planning Commission knows this as does the Planning Department. Perhaps this is why “Department Heads” get a raise, they know where each and every “Consideration” is given and who it leads back to.