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this is where your $39/year ARRL membership comes in handy

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You live in NY. Look at their gun laws and how they work.


You're screwed.

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Okay, after reading the article I'll just come out and say that you live in a village run by liberal high and mighty assholes.  Sorry about your predicament.

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Remember this is NY. If anyone can circumvent federal law it is NY.

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Wow. That is some industrial-strength derp there. Can't wait to see them get smacked around a bit over that. I'm betting it will go down quickly once the ARRL and FCC are brought in to the situation.

BTW, what are the permit fees for normal stuff? (electrical/plumbing work, etc... Here you need a fairly cheap permit and a chance of an inspector showing up if they are bored for doing stuff like water heaters and toilets, replacing wiring or moving/adding outlets and stuff like that. Oh yeah, and permits to cut down a tree and mandating replacement with another if it's over a certain size...)
 

“We had somebody put in an application and we advised him – similarly to the other issue – that we didn’t have any legislation pertaining to ham radios and that we would be looking into it,” Johnson said."

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From the article..
"The board passed a separate law Tuesday regulating the placement of amateur, or ham, radio antennas. The law includes a $1,000 application fee for a special-use permit.

“We had somebody put in an application and we advised him – similarly to the other issue – that we didn’t have any legislation pertaining to ham radios and that we would be looking into it,” Johnson said."


Huh?
$1000 application fee to put up a $20 antenna. Sounds legit.

"The “Code” as explained by Building Inspection Department was simple, any antenna more than 15 ft higher than the tallest surrounding structure or if in any case taller than the height limit for the class of zoning at that spot, had to go through a full formal process, design review, planning commission, public postings… the whole works."

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The best thing you can do is move a much more free state like NH.

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, including false claims of RFI once erected but not yet even in service at:

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You live in a "village?"

Is that like a town, or a city?

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You live in a "village?"

Is that like a town, or a city?

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You live in a "village?"

Is that like a town, or a city?

The local law will be posted on the website once we receive confirmation of filing from the Secretary of State.  The fee noted in the Buffalo News is for those operators who require land use and building permit approvals to construct an antenna structure on their property.  Generally speaking, this will pertain to HAM operators seeking to install a free-standing antenna on their property, or an antenna structure on an existing building.  Some of the issues that must be evaluated include setbacks, tower height, tower construction, tower location, communications needs and goals of the applicant, and appropriate and reasonable alternatives.  In conducting this evaluation, the Village will be required to obtain both engineering and communication consultant support in order for it to appropriately balance the interests of the HAM operator with the health, safety and general welfare of the community.  In our research, several courts have reviewed a municipality’s use of such consulting help and have evaluated the municipality’s resulting thorough analysis.  This assistance is especially important in a municipality like Kenmore; obviously we are not dealing with a rural community with large lots and low density.  I’m sure you appreciate that Kenmore lots are very small.  Any type of antenna structure is likely to cause unique concerns.  The Village needs to be sure that any proposed antenna structure will not present any safety issues, and will not have any other adverse impacts.  The Village also must make sure that the antenna structure is the minimum necessary for the operator to achieve his/her goals.  We consulted with our attorneys on this matter and the fee represents the anticipated costs of obtaining needed consultant advice, which the courts have referenced when reviewing cases on this matter.  New York law provides that the costs of administering permits are appropriately born by those seeking the approvals.    

Please note that the Village, prior to passing this law, had no regulations pertaining to HAM operators, and such antenna structures were prohibited by local law.  This local law represents the Village’s efforts to expand the rights of HAM radio operators.  The law acknowledges the HAM operators’ rights but also notes that a balancing of those rights with the needs of the community is proper, pursuant to Federal law.  Like all of our fees, they are established to reimburse the costs to the municipality for its costs associated with the permit application.

Thank you for taking the time to respond. I wanted a little clarification on a couple of things :

1) would a simple wire antenna hung from a home require this permit? something like this : http://www.chrisc.co.uk/2e1hje/ANT.jpg
2) would a vertical antenna without a tower require this permit? something like this : http://files.qrz.com/d/e51and/Mangaia_July_2013_10_small.JPG
3) would a 2 meter antenna attached to a home require this permit? something like this : http://www.qsl.net/ab8mo/2meter.gif

I have been in contact with the ARRL and their general counsel requested a copy of the law that was passed. I will check the website.

One further clarification. In your last paragraph it sounds like you are saying that if there is not a law that permits something that it is illegal. I'm not a lawyer but I always thought something was legal unless it prohibited by law not the other way around.

I cannot evaluate specific antenna options.  This is not my area.  Please feel free to submit an application to the building department.

The Village also must make sure that the antenna structure is the minimum necessary for the operator to achieve his/her goals.