Item 5.1 PowerPoint presented by Charles Ristorcelli at meetingPoway Amateur Radio Society (PARS)
Presentation for
Honorable Poway Mayor Don Higginson, City Councilmen
&
Poway Citizens
February 18th 2014 Poway City Council Meeting
by Charles Ristorcelli
NN3V
OUTLINE
•PARS Past actions serving Poway
•Current PARS service
•Assessment of material released by Poway Development Services staff
•Recommendations
PARS Past Activity
•Reminded City Council that Poway doesn’t comply with Federal and State Law
•Documented in 1999 and 2005 Poway City Attorney memoranda
•That was almost resolved in 2005 but left unfinished
•Assisted Poway in strengthening city’s emergency service preparedness
•Mayor proclaimed Sep. 2013 as Poway Emergency Preparedness Month
•Helped celebrating Boy Scout Jamboree On The Air (JOTA)
–40+ Explorer and Cub scouts experimented with modern technologies
•Developed Poway Amateur Communications Team (PACT) emergency net for Poway
–In use by Poway Neighborhood Emergency Corps (PNEC) throughout all of Poway
–Demonstrated PACT as disaster communications link
»At Pomerado Hospital, connected to
»3 Shelter-in-place locations contracted by the City, and
»Poway EOC building
»Observed by City Councilmen
•Responded to City Council request to help integrate amateur radio in Poway EOC
–Required by San Diego County disaster response plan
–With Poway fire department, developed the Poway EOC amateur radio emergency
communications plan
–Plan is now ready for Fire Department implementation
Current PARS Service
•Met with Poway development services staff writing the amateur antenna
ordinance
–Provided material to revise the flawed & unacceptable 2005 draft Poway amateur radio
ordinance
•Scientific study of compromise antenna height required in Poway
•Responds to Federal and California regulations
–Found staff at meeting very responsive
•Ready to help with follow-on actions to finish
–Writing the ordinance
–Integrating amateur radio in Poway EOC
Assessment Of Released Material
•Good first try
–Incorporated some suggested minor improvements
–Excellent review of permitting requirements in California cities
•14 surveyed
–9 of the 14 cities have no required review of installations
–4 have no required review for antennas up to 66 feet;
–2 have no required review for antennas up to 200 feet,
–1 has no review required period!
•Unfortunately
–Ignored scientific proof of antenna height compromise needed for long range communication from Poway
–Sets unacceptable antenna height level (35 ft)
•Establishes further arduous requirements
–MCUP for 50 ft antenna height, then MCUP + very expensive proof to reach 65 ft
•Meeting suggested requirement already quoted at $20K for needed study
–The “clarifications” released on February 13th are confusing since they reduce antenna effectiveness
PARS Assessment Of Released Material
(Continued)
•Disappointed recommendations offer no permitting process improvement
–No improvement to MDRA and MCUP steps applied in arbitrary and capricious
manner:
•Not firmly specified
•Not consistent
–Left to interpretation at planning desk
–Tend to vary day to day
•Mixed in with satellite antenna regulations that have absolutely no bearing on ham radio
•Appear a convenient way for “business as usual”
–Process remains oriented to routine “no” decision for achieving effective antenna
height
•Arbitrary, capricious, and non-transparent decision process
–Result in unnecessary delays and high costs for the City and the petitioner
PARS Recommendations
•Recognize this is not construction of a superstore
–Set minimum antenna height at 65 ft with a building permit and neighbor notification if
needed
•That height is scientific fact already proven
–Revert to the exempt antenna recommendations released on February 7th 2014
•Require MDRA only as review for antennas over 65 ft.
–No fee required for MDRA
•Council already waived MDRA fees in recognition of amateur radio service to Poway
•Direct staff to
–Meet with local hams to review procedures and eliminate ambiguities
–Write a consistent and transparent ordinance based on the review
•City Council approve the resulting ordinance within 90 days