On 24 Sep 2003 19:28:41 -0700, (Alan) wrote:

Talked to the lawyer (an ARRL Volunteer Counsel) today. He said nobody
had ever asked the question before, but, without doing $1000 worth of
research (which still would provide no definitive answer), he was of
the opinion that in this context "structure" refers only to buildings,
as it usually does. Else even fences would be prohibited too, as well
as basketball hoops.

It depends on the context in which it was used. In our township a
tower is defined as a structure, *BUT* there are towers and there are
towers. The tower is a structure and any tower *over 80 feet requires
a permit, must meet engineering safety requirements (they accepted the
ROHN catalog, and must meet setback requirements.
http://www.rogerhalstead.com/tower.htm

Lightweight TV towers or shorter ham towers are a subset of structure
that is not regulated except for the set back rules. Here you could
put up a ham tower of ROHN 45 G or one of the big crank up towers
without even needing a permit as long as the tower is not over 80 feet
in height. (from ground level to top and won't land on your neighbor's
property if it falls over)

However the *tower* is the structure, never mind that there is heavy
steel masting that extends 30 feet above the top of the tower with 6
antennas on it.. They count only the supporting tower height. However
the tower installation must be engineered to withstand the wind loads
from all that *stuff* on top.

I can speak only for my specific circumstances, but fences are defined
as ...well...fences. Yah, it is a structure and as such fences are
regulated and may be no more than a certain height and must be some
specific distance back from the lot line. Basket ball hoops are not
defined as structures, but only accessories, or external attachments
which are actually prohibited by some CC&Rs

IOW, it doesn't matter even what the rest of us have had to do, it
depends on your specific circumstances, CC&Rs if any, zoning, and the
Home Owners Association.

Remember that although there is federal pre-emption, set back rules
and safety take precedence. My lot is 200 feet on a side, so with the
tower mounted in the center of the lot I can go no more than 100 feet
without permission from my neighbors. Setback just means, if it falls
over it lands on my property and that is an acceptable pre-emption.

BTW, the "neighborhood lightening rod" took a hit at 4:53:41 Wednesday
afternoon according to my UPS monitor. Other than that every thing is
still working and was up and running when the strike occurred.

I haven't been up on top to take a look at things, but I'm trying to
finish up the winterizing of the antennas system before the weather
gets bad. That included letting the center mast down, replacing the
jumpers from the top of the tower to the arrays, repairing the center
support on the C3i 7L 6-meter Yagi, and then putting it all back up.
The mast alone weighs close to 300#. I use a 25 foot SS come along to
raise and lower the mast which anchors in two ROHN 3" thrust bearings
with the Big Boy Rotor mounted about 20 feet down in the tower.


Roger Halstead (K8RI EN73 & ARRL Life Member)
www.rogerhalstead.com
N833R World's oldest Debonair? (S# CD-2)

-=-
Alan AB2OS


Alan Beagley wrote in message ...
I am still waiting for the lawyer to review the CC&Rs for the property
we are hoping to buy, but in the meantime . . .

Does anybody have any knowledge or experience whether a tower is a
"structure," as the term is used in CC&Rs? -- e.g., "No structure may
be erected on any of the lots except for a single-family dwelling . . .
[then come the size limitations}. No more than one outbuilding may be
erected on any lot . . . [then come the size limitations}."

The context suggests that "structure" means "building," but if it
includes towers, then would it not also include the set-in-concrete
basketball hoops that abound in the subdivision? Not to mention the
amateur radio tower that is already there on another lot -- but I want
to make sure that the owner isn't simply "getting away with it" because
he has nice neighbors, whereas we might turn out to have not-so-nice ones.