Looking for a ham in Temecula, CA

[KG0MN]

I am looking for a ham in the Temecula, CA area that can tell me how difficult it is to obtain a permit to erect a tower in that area. My wife and I are in the early stage of looking for home in warmer climates and this is one of the areas that we have been checking out. I have no plans of moving into a gated community because that usually spells "Home Owners Association" and antenna problems. So if someone can shed some light on how easy or hard it might be to obtain a permit I would be grateful.

73,
Kevin - KG0MN

[WB2WIK]

326 hams in Temecula: http://www.qrz.com/db/?callsign=n&skey=temecula&page=2

I know a few with big towers. I doubt there's a problem provided you stay away from HOAs.

The city zoning ordinance states amateur radio towers and antennas are permitted at a height of 35' without permit under city code 17.40.050 (D): http://www.qcode.us/codes/temecula/

The hams I know have stuff bigger than that. Might require a conditional use permit, or possibly they just installed them anyway (I don't know).

It's pretty "booney-ish," and not a highly populated area. If you're away from CC&Rs and HOAs, I'd bet you can probably do whatever you want.

[K9ZMD]

There used to be - maybe still is - a beyootiful tower & antenna installation visible from I-15 in the Temecula area. Highly visible, to make a pun of it. I always made a point of staying awake whenever I drove through that area, so I didn't miss the chance to study it. That's where I first learned that I didn't need to watch the road to stay on course; screeching from the front passenger seat always alerted me if I began to drift out of my lane.

[KG0MN]

Two answers and could not ask for any better replies, thanks a lot fellow this really useful information. Gary it sounds like your back seaters are from the same species mine are. That screech is very painful to this aging hams ears.

[W6OGC]

It is not only the gated areas that have CC&Rs. Virtually all homes in subdivisions built since the '70's have CC&Rs in one form or another. When I was in Temecula in the '70's, there wasn't anything but avocado groves and wineries, so virtually all the homes will have been built in subdivisions.

The thing to do is have your real estate agent alerted to the issue. CC&Rs cover all the homes in the subdivision, so once you have looked and found them, there is no point in wasting time there further.

It sometimes pays to read the CC&Rs carefully. Some of the older ones, and maybe newer ones for all I know, have odd provisions that are relatively easy to defeat, or work around. My former law partner bought a house in a subdivision here in which the CC&Rs provided that it required ACC approval of antennas but if you applied and got no reply within 30 days, you were free to put them up. There are other variations of this, too.

The CC&Rs here are mostly required to prohibit antennas by city councils/local governing bodies, so as to maximize cable TV licensing revenue. If the builder doesn't include antenna prohibitions, the subdivision won't be allowed to go forward.

[K6OK]

Kevin -- couple of suggestions

Check out redfin.com. If you do an advanced search you can limit searches to homes for sale with "No HOA" as well as specify price range and size of lot.

Very general rule of thumb -- it is easier to obtain a permit in the unincorporated areas of the county versus within city limits.

Good luck with your search! 73 Jim K6OK

[WB2WIK]

I'd look up K6YES and WA6KEK, both in Temecula and both have towers and beams. There are others, too; if I can remember who they are I'll let you know!