HomeMy WebLinkAboutPH 1 ZONING ORD 84-2 01-21-85AGENDA
DATE:
January 21, 1985
PUBLIC HEARING
NO. 1
1-21-85
Inter- Corn
TO:
FROM:
SU BJ ECT:
HONORABLE HAYOR AgO CITY COUNCIL
COf~IUNITY OEVELOPMENT DEPART)lENT
ZONING ORDINANCE AHENDHENT 84-2/ORDINANC£ NO. 926
CRITERIA FOR DISH ANTENNAE INSTALLATION
DISCUSSION:
The Planning Commission for a period of several months commencing last summer,
conducted public hearings and formulated standards and criteria to regulate the
installation of satellite dish type antennae. Due to the complexity and
constantly changing technology of the antenna industry, the attached ordinance
was developed from model ordinances produced by the organization "Space" who
represents antenna manufactures.
In summary, the dish antenna ordinance only regulates the installation of
antennae which are greater than three feet in diameter and specifically requires
that they be obscured or screened in some fashion. In residential zones, it is
encouraged that these antennae by installed in a backyard at ground level
whenever possible. A simple over-the-counter building permit is all that the
City would require. However, if a useable signal cannot be obtained in a
backyard location, a ~oofqtop installation may be allowed subject to a use
permit issued by the Planning Commission. In this fashion, a public hearing
would be required and surrounding property owners fully informed.
The balance of the antenna ordinance concerns non-residential zones and again
encourages their ground level installation or roof-top installation if obscured
from public right-of-way view . If antennae are installed at the ground level
or roof-top,but obscured, again a simple building permit is all that would be
required. If an antenna can only be installed in a highly visible location, a
use permit would then be required. Additionally, dish antennae must be color
compatible with surrounding building structures and may not include painted-on
signage. Finally, antennae are restricted to a maximum height of 10 feet from
ground level in residential zones and 15 feet from ground level in non
-residential zones.
Overall, both the Planning Commission and staff are quite pleased with the final
ordinance now being presented to Council. If approved, this ordinance should
not produce a hardship on the dish antenna industry nor upon property owners.
The intent of this ordinance is to provide common sense regulations yet, permit
property owners to exercise their right of installation without being over
burdened by government regulation.
City Council Report
Dtsh Antennae
page t~o
R£COf~IENDATI'ON:
That.the City Council approve Zoning Ordinance Amendment 84-2 by minute order
introduction and first reading of Ordinance No. ;)26.
DONALD D. LAMM,
Dtrector of Community Development
DDL:do
attachment:
Ordinance No. 926
Planning Commission Report (Nov. 26)
Resolution 2169
Satellite Antenna Article
Community Development Department
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ORDINANCE NO. 926
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
TUSTIN, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING SECTIONS 9270 AND 9271
OF THE TUSTIN CITY CODE BY REQUIRING A USE PERMIT
AND ESTABLISHING STANDARDS AND CRITERIA FOR THE
INSTALLATION OF DISH ANTENNAE
The City Council of the City of Tustin does hereby resolve as follows:
The City Council finds and determines as follows:
A. Television Dish Antennae are becoming a popular mechanism for
the receiving of distant broadcast signals for commercial,
industrial use and home entertainment.
II.
B. Dish antennae have the potential of adding visual pollution,
obscuring vistas, reducing open space and adversely impacting
community amenities.
C. The review of certain antenna installations by the Planning
Commission, and the opportunity for adjoining properby owners to
express their comments and concerns, warrants the requirement of
a use permit for the preservation of community aesthetics.
The City Council hereby amends Sections 9270 and 9271 of the Tustin
City Code to include the following:
Section 9270b
{f) Dish Antennae located in residential zones exceeding three (3)
feet in diameter and located other than in rear yard areas
obscured from public right-of-way view.
(g) Dish Antennae located in all zones other than residential,
exceeding three (3) feet in diameter and not fully screened or
otherwise obscured from public right-of-way view.
Sectt
Y.
on 9271
Criteria for dish antenna installation.
Definitions. For the purpose of this section, a dish
antenna is a disc-shaped antenna either solid or mesh type
construction exceeding three (3) feet in diameter, intended
but not limited to the purpose of receiving communications
from an orbiting satellite transmitter.
(2)
Locati on:
(a)
Residential Zones: A Dish antenna installed at ground
level in the rer yard and obscured from public
right-of-way view is exempt from the requirement of a
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Ordinance 926
page two
use permit. If a useable signal cannot be obtained
from a rear yard location the dish antenna may be
located in the side yard of the property or on a
building roof subject to issuance of a use permit.
(b)
Non-residential Zones: A Dish antenna located at
ground level or on a building roof completely obscured
from public right-of-way view is exempt from the
requirement of a use permit. Those antennae which
cannot be obscured as determined by City staff are
subject to issuance of a use permit.
(3)
Antenna Color Compatibility: All Dish antennae shall be
compatible in color with their surroundings and not include
stgnage whether manufacturer's name or other advertising.
Antennae shall be painted to match surrounding background
if only partially obscured or to match dominant building
color if roof mounted.
(4) Height Limitations:
(a) Residential Zones: Dish antennae shall not exceed the
maximum building height limit permitted in the zone if
roof mounted nor exceed ten (10) feet in height if
ground level mounted.
(b) Non-Residential Zones: Dish antennae shall not exceed
the maximum building height limit permitted in the
zone if roof mounted nor exceed fifteen (15) feet in
height if ground level mounted.
(5) Building Permits: A building permit shall be obtained
prior to the installation of any dish antenna exceeding
three (3) feet in diameter.~
PASSED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the Tustin City Council held on
the day of , 1985.
Attest:
URSULA E. KENNEDY,
Mayor
MARY E. WYNN,
City Clerk
ITE~ #2 ' 1
Plannin Commission
DATE:
SUB,]ECT:
NOVEHBER 26, 1984
CONTINUED CONSIDERATION OF *ZONTNG ORDINANCE AHENDlqENT NO. 84-2
CRZTERIA FOR DISH ANTENNA TNSTALLATION
DISCUSSION:
The Planning Commission this past summer conducted public hearings and
formulated standards and criteria for the installation of dish antennae to be
included in the City's Zoning Ordinance. Resolution No. 2169 was drafted
reflecting Commission concerns but delayed for additional input by staff.
Staff has further researched the subject and recommends minor changes to
Resolution No. 2169 specifically addressing residential and non-residential
development standards. Additionally, Commissioner Well recommended criteria for
dish antennae color'to match its surroundings.
At this time, it appears Resolution 2169 be referred to City Council for
consideration.
RECOI~qENDATION:
That the Planning Commission adopt amended Resolution No. 2169 and forward to
City Council for public hearing.
DONALD D. ~.AMM, v
Director of Community Development
DDL:do
Attachment:
Resolution No. 2169
Satellite Antenna Article
Community Development Department
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RESOLUTION NO. 2169
A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION'OF THE
CITY OF TUSTIN, CALIFORNIA, RECOMMENDING AMENDMENT
OF SECTIONS 9270 AND 9271 OF THE TUSTIN CITY CODE
BY REQUIRING A USE PERMIT AND ESTABLISHING STANDARDS
AND CRITERIA FOR THE INSTALLATION OF DISH ANTENNAE
The Planning Commission of the City of Tustin does hereby resolve as
follows:
II.
The Planning Commission finds.and determines as follows:
A. Television Dish Antennae are becoming a popular mechanism
the receiving of distant broadcast signals for commercial,
industrial use and home entertainment.
Be
Dish antennae have the potefitial of adding visual pollution,
obscuring vistas, reducing open space and adversely impacting
community amenities.
C. The review of certain antenna installations by the Planning
Commission, and the opportunity for adjoining property'owners to
express their comments and concerns, warrants the requirement of
a use permit for the preservation of community aesthetics.
The Planning Commission hereby recommends to the City Council that
Sections g270 and 9271 of the Tustin City Code be amended to include
the following:
Section 9270b
(f) ~tsh Antennae located in residential zones exceeding three {3)
feet in diameter and located other than in rear yard areas
obscured from public right-of-way view.
(g) Dish Antennae located in all zones other than residential,
exceeding three (3) feet in diameter and not fully screened or
otherwise obscured from public right-of-way view.
Section 9271
y. Criteria for dish antenna installation.
(1) Definitions. For.~the purpose of this section, a dish
antenna is a disc-shaped antenna either solid or mesh type
construction exceeding three {3) feet in diameter, intended
but not limited to the purpose of receiving communications
from an orbiting satellite transmitter.
(2) Location:
(a)
Residential Zones: A Dish antenna installed at ground
level in the rear yard and obscured from public
right-of-way view is exempt from the requirement of a
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Resolution 2169
page two
(b)
use permit. If a useable signal cannot be obtained
from a rear yard location the dish antenna may be
located in the side yard of the property or on a
building roof subject to issuance of a use permit.
Non-residential Zones: A Dish antenna located at
ground level or on a building roof Completely obscured
from public right-of-way view is exempt from the
requirement of a use .permit. Those antennae which
cannot be obscured as determined by City staff are
subject to issuance of a use permit.
(3)
Antenna Color COmpatibility: All Dish antennae shall be
compatible in color with their surroundings and not include
stgnage whether manufacturer's name or other advertising.
Antennae shall be painted to match surrounding background
if only partially obscured or to match dominant building
color if roof mounted.
(4) Height Limitations:
(a) Residential Zones: Dish antennae shall not exceed the
maximum building height limit permitted in the zone if
roof mounted nor exceed ten {[0) feet in height if
ground level mounted.
{b) Non-Residential Zones: Dish antennae shall not exceed
the maximum building height limit permitted in the
zone if roof mounted nor exceed fifteen (15) feet in
height if ground level mounted.
(5) Building Permits: A building permit shall be obtained
prior to the installation of any dish antenna exceeding
three (3) feet in diameter.
the Tustin Planning Commission
, [984.
held on the ~_~Z)Lday a reg~ar meeting of
! JCo
~ ~ RONALD H. WHITE,
Chairman
DONNA ORR,
Recording Secretary
44 satellite TV systems
you can buy now
Tuning in to TV signals broadcast from space is now routine. And while the technology
has advanced, equipment prices have plummeted to $1,000 and lower. But buyers of satel-
lite equipment should be knowledgeable about essential features and desirable options.
And even the most costly system can be useless if the antenna is improperly installed.
By SUSAN RENNER-SMITH
Drawings b.v Eugene Thompson
NASHVILLe, TENN.
A forest of dish antennas glinting in
the bright sun filled the giant park-
ing lot at the Opryland Hotel here.
All faced south. In the hotel exhibit
hall, hundreds of TVs flickered--all
without a sound. The scene was surreal.
I'd come to the Satellite TV Tech-
nology Exposition to check on a field
PS has covered for five years [PS,
March '78; March '80; Nov. '81; June
'83; July '84]. Still, I was astonished
by what I found. Tiny. four-foot-diam-
eter dish antennas pulled in signals
broadcast by satellites more than
22,000 miles away: Computers mated
with receivers produced on-screen
menus of satellite programs. Remote
controllers moved dishes that were
1,000 feet away.
But advanced technology wasn't all
I found. There are controversies about
everything from the size of the dish
to the tuning of the receiver, as well
as about other components that make
up a complete system I see "Tuning in
TV from Space" box for details on com-
ponents and system operationL Prices
also vary considerably, with complete
systems ranging from less than $1.000
to more than $4,000. Obviousl); a less
expensive system will not include all
the features of the high-end systems
Isee table). I'll discuss the differences
later.
About one million backyard anten-
nas are now aimed at a band of 15
satellites in geostationary orbit 22,279
les above the eouator There a sat-
mi . ~ ' ' · · ' dJ.s blend~ in wi~ its surrotmd-
life's s ced m orbit matches Earth s ~:c '.brough antenna: Wmegard Sa~l- .solid .. h, ........ a Wine-
el O , , · , orated am- rags. ,~lonlgomery war~ o.er~
te of rotatmn so the satelhte seems llte System s 10-1~, g'2:.lb, per~ ............. stem.
ra , Continued minum d~h, said to ~e a~ rugge~ az a gar~ sa~em~e ~ v .,y
' DECEMBER 1954 J ~3
TV signals broadcast to a satellite (1} hovering above the
equator are rebroadcast by 12 transponders, each transmit-
ting two separate channels. To do this, the satellites polar,
ize the T*v' sigmds, transmiUing alternate channels at right
=~ ~.~.~u~l,~f~or th.e bro~.dcast or unrelated radio tranzmi~
--~ · v-recelve-omy (TVRo) antenna (2) is mounted
on a concrete footing. The anterma's polar mount permits
it to track any of the 20 C-band satellites. The sateUJtes'
faint sig~al~ are gathered by the parabolic dish-shaped
reflector and focused onto the feedhorn; thLs is a wave guide
that feeds the signals to a small probe, the actual antenna,
._t~e~ ~.~w-nome amplifier (LNA). The feedhom ia
porat~tl pola~ty ~v~tcher that
twitches the antenna probe gO deg. to align it w~th the in-
a~ wen The LNA amplifies the signak about 100,000 time~
to stay in one spot above the planet.
These are C-band satellites transmit-
ting in the 3.7-to-4.2-gigahertz (GHz)
wave band. They serve as low-power
(about live watts per channel) micro-
wave repeater stations. The satellites
now transmit about 125 channels of
movies, sports, news, and special-
interest programs.
These TV signals are free, but is it
legal to tune them in? Yes, says the
satellite TV industry. P/racy, say major
programmers such as HBO. Bills be-
fore Congress may soon resolve the
question in favor of the consumer. (For
a full discussion of the legal question,
see PS, July '84, p. 85.)
If you're thinking of a C-band sys-
Costly low-loss microwave cabios carry the signal to the
down-converter~pnrt of the receiver but mounted at the
antenna to cut cable
Converted to a lower frequency (usually 70 .MHz) that travels,
~,~b .?d. coaxial c~blo
a weathe~roof ...... ~..~; o-O~uu oe protected by
~ .gnals and power for the LNA and the rn~o~-' .... rang
m~ve are carried bv the ...... ~-~_, ~ o~,r~-.u amenna
for the antenna motor (5) usually comes in a separate unit,
though some high-end receivers include it. ~ infrared
remote-control pad tunes in the signal at the receiver and,
in some systems, even points the antenna at ciJfferent satei-
I;tes. Once the r~ceiver processes the sigrml, it's sent to an
RF modulator (usually part of the receiver} tm- transmission
to channel thn~ or four of a Conventional TV set (6}. Though
SOme high-end receivers have a built-in stereo amplifier,
the signal for transmission to a stereo system (7).
tern, step into your backyard and look
south. Do you have a clear view of the
horizon? Hills, tall buildings, and trees
can block high-frequency microwave
signals. Even if the view is fine, you
may have an unseen problem: micro-
wave interference from land-based
transmissions.
"If you take a dish out to the site,
you'll learn only what the interference data flow to headquarters for the rest interference paths, you can't be abso-
situation is at the time you tested," of the evening--and the signals could lutely safe unless you spend $350 or
says .Fred Hopengarten, president of be passing right across your dish." so to have signal paths of all trans-
Channel One--a pioneer dealer. "At 5 Though Hopengarten says an expe- mitters in your area mapped.
the
the
ve[~
~by
dng
troi
LncL
,'ion
~er,
~ok
:he
tve
ou
re-
.ed
to,
o'clock your local bank may turn on its rienced dealer may have studied local
PS sampling of satellite TV systems:
fram bare bones to bells and whistles
Although a few makers I talked
with asserted that microwave interfer-
ence is not a problem for a high-qual-
ity receiver, most agreed it can be
serious. And interference can be ex-
pensive to fix--filters to eliminate it
run from $200 to several thousand dgi-
lars. "The smart dealer says in small
print that he can't guarantee against
interference," Hopengarten says.
Choosing a system
If your site is suitable, you face the
next problem: how much to spend. Do
you want a satellite TV system that's
as easy to use as a regular remote-
controlled TV set? One that pulls in
brilliant, studio-quality TV, pictures
and stereo sound? One that tunes in'
all channels on all satellites? Or will
a standard broadcast-quality picture
with about 20 channels of cable pro-
grams satisfy 'you, even if the system
is less convenient to use? The answers
to these questions determine whether
you look at high- or low-end systems.
(See the table at the end of the arti-
cle for a sampling of systems at both
ends of the price scale.}
Satellite dishes come in a range of
sizes and materials. The dish's curved
surface collects the satellite signals
and reflects them to a central focal
point (see drawing). The smoother the
dish's surface and the more precise the
parabola, the better. Solid-metal and
fiberglass (with metal embedded below
the surface) dishes hold their shapes
better than mesh dishes, say most
experts. Perforated aluminum, the
newest dish type, combines the see-
through benefits of mesh with the sta-
bility of solid metal.
Before you buy, examine the dish's
curvature carefully. Sight along one
edge of the dish; you shouldn't be able
to see the other edge projecting. Check
whether panels bolt together smoothly.
Run your hand over the dish surface
to see whether there are bumps or
other irregularities that might scatter
the signal.
Ease of assembly is important.
"~wo men, two hours.' That's what
they all say," grumbled a consumer I
met in Nashville. "It took us more like
24 hours to assemble that dish."
The size of the dish you buy de-
pends, first, on where you live. Most
U.S. communications satellites are
aimed at the Midwest. The satellites'
signals are much like the cone of light
cast by a flashlight--stronger in the
center and weaker around the edges.
Because the dish's job is to gather as
/Continued on page 116]
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44 satellite TV systems
/Continued from page 951
much of the weak signals as possible,
conventional wisdom has been: the
bigger the dish, the better. The larger
the dish, the higher the gain--the
amount of signal it can collect.
"An eight-foot dish works well.., in
Kansas," says one manufacturer. "A
lO-foot dish is probably overkill in
most parts of the country," says an-
other. "It depends on receiver thresh-
old--the ability to filter noise out of
the signal," a third says. '~I'he lower
the threshold, the smaller the dish you
can use."
In the Nashville exhibit hall, where
all the signals were degraded some-
what by a 1,000-foot cable run from
the parking lot, I noted a range of
picture quality but found no snowy,
"ghosty,' or otherwise unviewable pic-
tures. Picture quality was generally,
but not invariably, related to dish size.
But Tennesee is in a good reception
area for most satellites, and many of
the smaller dishes were tuned to Gal-
axy 1, one of the newest and most pow-
erful C-band satellites. (It transmits
the most popular cable programs at
about nine watts per channel.) In
many parts of the U.S. even the small-
est dish will pick up acceptable sig-
nals from this satellite. In fact, some
systems are designed to be aimed only
at Galaxy I. "We're serving the urban
homeowner," Blair Gilbert of Galaxy
Broadcasting Services says. "He can't
put a 10-foot antenna in his backyard.'
Galaxy sells a four-foot-diameter dish
that it claims is better suited to urban
rooftops.
Before you decide to buy a small
dish for use with Galaxy 1, however,
consider these points:
· A satellito's signal weakens with
age (useful lifetime is about seven
years). A small antenna may not have
enough gain for a weak signal.
· A small dish may not be able to
discriminate between signals from
closely spaced satellites. Current spac-
ing is four degrees (about 1,800 miles)
apart. To make room for more satel-
lites, the Federal Communications
Commission has ruled that orbital
spacing must eventually narrow to two
degrees. This will cause interference
unless the commission also requires
neighboring satellites to transmit po-
larized signals. No One knows whether
this will happen.
· Major broadcasters using Galaxy
1 may scramble their signals and offer
decodere to home-dish owners. HBO
has announced plans to scramble in
1985. I was told off-the-record by sev-
eral antenna manufacturers that both
HBO and Warner-Amex (producers of
Showtime and The Movie Channel/
have discussed plans for Galaxy 1
decoders. According to Gilbert, the
circuitry of most receivers is incom-
patible with current decoders. Modi-
fications could be costly.
Alphabet soup
The microwave amplifier that boosts
the satellite signal comes in three
versions. The basic low-noise ampli-
fier ILNA) is rated according to the
amount of noise its own circuits add
to the signal. The lower the noise fig-
ure, the better--especially for small
dishes.
The low-noise down-converter I LNC~
is an LNA combined with a signal
processor. The combination means one
less cable run to install.
The low-noise block down-converter
(LNBI processes the entire frequency
block transmitted by a satellite--all
24 TV signals instead of only one. If
your family wants to watch different
satellite TV channels on different
sets or record a program on a video-
cassette recorder while you watch an-
other, you need an LNB.
The next costly decision is whether
to invest in a motorized antenna. Low-
cost systems have a crank on the dish's
polar mount to aim it at a satellite.
To tune the picture you need two peo-
ple: one outside at the dish and one
inside by the TV. High-end systems
have a remote-controlled motor for
armchair satellite tracking. This is
practically a necessity if you want to
scan all channels regularl):
"It's almost impossible today to buy
a bad LNA. and it's harder and harder
to buy a bad receiver. But dish mounts
and motorized eontrellers can be gar-
bage,'' says Channel One's Hopen-
garten. "Look for mechanical inte~rit);
and check for galvanized or stainless-
steel hardware. Check the mount--if
it's ~inc-plated, it's going to rust out
in three years."
Also, check the controls. Some
motor mounts simply swivel the dish;
you must spend considerable time
moving the dish back and forth until
you pick up the satellite signal. Other
motor systems are programmable, so
you need find each satellite only once
and lock its position into the motor*
ized memory.
Receivers: plain or fancy
The least costly receivers have con-
tinuous tuning via a radio-type dial.
Some have signal-strength meters.
Receivers with click-stop, or detent,
knobs tune the way most TVs do,
with positive aetion. This is an easy
method, but the receiver should also
have an adjustment for fine tuning.
Top-of-the-line receivers usually
have push-button digital tuning and
automatic polarity switching; when
you switch from an odd to an even
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I 44 satellite TV systems
channel,
signals 1
degrees,
must pu
polarity
channel.
channel, the receiver automatically
signals the antenna probe to flip 90
degrees. On low-end receivers you
must push an extra button to adjust
polarity before you can tune in the
Most advanced receivers process ste-
reo sound, and many also tune audio
subcarriers. "You can listen to the
opera and watch a football game at
the same time," says Bruce Weston of
Intersat Corp. The Intersat IQ 160 re-
ceiver is one of the most advanced re-
ceivers I saw. Its microprocessor lets
you alto at satellites and tune in chart-
nels by moving a cursor around a
menu displayed on the TV screen.
The final decision: Should you in-
stall the satellite system yourself?. In-
stallation is costly--I've had price
quotes ranging from $400 to $2,000.
Some dealers, such as Birdview Satel-
lite Communications, lower the fee if
you do the digging and cable trench-
lng, pour the concrete footings, and .
install the pole. But pole installation
is also tricky.
1'he accuracy of the polar mount
is based on that pole being absolutely
level and plumb," Satellite World's
Rick Bradshaw says. "But the hard-
est part isn't making the mechanical
connections. The hardest thing is aim-
ing the dish."
Some manufacturers are working
on this problem. "We include an aim-
ing device and instructions with the
six-foot Junior. antenna," says Bob
Deschene of Janeil Corp. "With it, any
novice can get a polar arc [set the
proper angle for tracking the satel-
lites] within 20 minutes. And getting
that arc used to be the hardest part
for the consumer."
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