(A) As used in this section:

(1) "Amateur radio service" means the amateur service, the amateur-satellite service, and the radio amateur civil emergency service as provided for under 47 C.F.R. part 97.

(2) "Amateur station" means a station in an amateur radio service consisting of the apparatus necessary for carrying on radio communications.

(3) "Legislative authority" means the following:

(a) With respect to a county, any county rural zoning commission, board of county commissioners, or county board of zoning appeals;

(b) With respect to a township, any township zoning commission, board of township trustees, or township board of zoning appeals;

(c) With respect to a municipal corporation, the legislative authority of any municipal corporation, a planning commission established under section 713.01 of the Revised Code, or an administrative board created under section 713.11 of the Revised Code.

(B) Sections 303.01 to 303.25, 303.99, 519.01 to 519.25, 519.99, and 713.06 to 713.15 of the Revised Code do not confer on any legislative authority the authority to preclude amateur radio service communications. Any rules adopted under those sections by a legislative authority to regulate amateur radio service shall comply with the following limitations:

(1) The legislative authority shall not restrict the height or location of amateur station antenna structures in such a way as to prevent effective amateur radio service communications and shall comply with 47 C.F.R. 97.15.

(2) The rules shall reasonably accommodate amateur station communications and shall constitute the minimum practicable regulation necessary to accomplish the legislative authority's purpose.

(C) Any legislative authority that denies an application for approval of an amateur station antenna structure shall state the reasons for the denial and shall, on appeal, bear the burden of proving that the authority's actions are consistent with this section.

Added by 129th General AssemblyFile No.103, HB 158, §1, eff. 8/15/2012.