satellite dishes, or other transmission / reception devices affected by
line‐of‐sight requirements.
Frequency Interference. Frequency interference refers to the inability to
effectively distribute or receive a particular frequency because of similar
frequency competition. As the use of the frequency spectrum increases
(such as the rapid increase in cellular phone technology over the last
decade) and as development expands near military installations and
operational areas, the potential for frequency spectrum interference
increases.
Issue Assessment
ISSUE
FSI‐1
development may not be approved by any local jurisdiction prior to vetting it
through Maxwell AFB. This is a good measure of land use compatibility
planning; however, it does not necessarily provide all the necessary
measures to prevent the location of certain frequency‐dependent
businesses immediately outside the Gunter Annex facility.
In addition, the City’s, County’s, and State’s Business License Application
does not currently request the frequency the prospective business requires
to perform their core business operations. This lack of information on the
application can produce oversight and permit businesses that could
potentially generate frequency interference with Maxwell AFB at
Gunter Annex. Moreover, the city does not have a frequency zoning
ordinance to protect both the Base and prospective businesses that desire
to locate in the area around Gunter Annex.
Frequency Interference Concern
Concern about potential future development near the Gunter
Annex area could potentially disrupt transmission signals.
Findings
The City of Montgomery, Montgomery County, and the State of
Alabama Business License Application does not contain an item that
requests the frequency for certain frequency‐dependent businesses
to operate in the area.
The City of Montgomery does not have a frequency zoning ordinance.
Maxwell AFB does not have a frequency spectrum management plan.
There is a general concern about development particularly businesses that
use frequencies to perform their core business operations. Certain potential
future development that occurs outside the Gunter Annex facility can
potentially impact the missions of Gunter Annex. If certain types of business
development is permitted to locate immediately outside the Gunter Annex
without coordination with the military, then frequency interference could
potentially interrupt operations at Gutner Annex and for the business. This
could delay operations for the military and the commercial business.
Compatibility Assessment
According to the Memorandum of Understanding between the Cities of
Millbrook, Montgomery, and Prattville, the Counties of Autauga, Elmore and
Montgomery and Maxwell AFB for Zoning and Land Use Change
Notifications and pursuant to the Alabama Military Land Use Planning Act,
Page 5‐46
Background Report
June 2017