Utility Poles to Be Wireless Antennae Sites in Silver Spring And Montgomery County

Montgomery County Response to a question

SET BACK QUESTION

Q. There is something here that I don't understand:

Lines 56 and 167 uphold setback standards of "300 feet from dwellings." BUT Line 72

outlines the parameters for replacing a utility pole or streetlight and does not include

the "300 foot set back" protective language. Does the 300‐foot setback just apply to

macro towers?

Specific real‐life examples would be enormously helpful. For example, [the North

Potomac neighborhood off Dufief Mill Rd and DuFief Dr] has been identified for 16

towers. Can you articulate how the new ZTA text would apply to those applications?

A. The language in Lines 72 to 154 apply to Commercial/Residential, Industrial, and

Employment zones only. The North Potomac neighborhood is a residential zone, not in one

of the zones listed, so the provisions allowing replacement poles as limited uses would not

apply in residential neighborhoods. In contrast, see the downtown Silver Spring area below

– the replacement pole language would apply in the CR zones.

In addition, see the pink circle to the map above, showing where the steetview photo

below was taken. This is a residential zone. The photo below shows a preexisting utility

pole in this neighborhood. 

See Lines 304 to 316 of the Proposed ZTA. These preexisting utility poles could be used

in this residential neighborhood, to attach an antenna to, if the pre‐existing pole is 20

feet back from a dwelling in a residential zone, or 10 feet back from a structure in a

Commercial/Residential, Industrial, or Employment zone.

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Q. How can I find the zoning category or classification of a property, to determine which

antenna and tower zoning laws would apply?

A. To view commercial/Residential, Industrial, and Employment zones, visit

http://mcatlas.org/antennazta

Click on the “Content” button to show layers, then click on the zoning classifications you

want to see

Zoning categories and classification abbreviations

1. Agricultural (AR)

2. Rural Residential (R), (RC), (RNC)

3. Residential

a. Residential Detached (RE‐2), (RE‐2C),

(RE‐1), (R‐200), (R‐90), (R‐60), (R‐40)

b. Residential Townhouse (TLD), (TMD), (THD)

c. Residential Multi‐Unit (R‐30), (R‐20), (R‐10)

4. Commercial/Residential (CRN), (CRT), CR)

5. Employment (GR), (NR), (LSC), (EOF)

6. Industrial (IL), (IL), (IH)

2018 Montgomery County Proposed Zoning Text Amendment (ZTA)

 New: CE Small Cell ZTA to Council (Feb 2018) New: Database of Antenna and Tower Applications Interactive Map