When used in this chapter, the following words, terms and phrases shall be interpreted to have the meaning described in this section. All other words, terms and phrases shall be interpreted as they are commonly used in everyday language.
CARRIER ON WHEELS (COW). A portable self-contained wireless facility that can be moved to a location and set up to provide wireless services on a temporary or emergency basis. A COW is normally vehicle-mounted and contains a telescoping boom as the antenna support structure.
CERTIFIED FALL ZONE. A measured distance outward from the base of the tower established by a document submitted by a professional engineer registered with the State of North Carolina, in which a distance less than the standard fall zone is represented as sufficient to protect adjacent property from collapse of the tower resulting from structural failure or acts of nature.
CO-LOCATION. The placement, installation, maintenance, modification, operation, or replacement of wireless facilities on, under, within, or on the surface of the earth adjacent to existing structures, including utility poles, city utility poles, water towers, buildings, and other structures capable of structurally supporting the attachment of wireless facilities in compliance with applicable codes. The term does not include the installation of new utility poles, city utility poles, or wireless support structures.
CONCEALMENT TECHNOLOGY. Use of artificial trees, clock towers, bell steeples, light poles and similar mounting structures that camouflage or conceal the presence of antennas or towers.
FALL ZONE. The area in which a wireless support structure may be expected to fall in the event of a structural failure, as measured by engineering standards. The area shall be sufficiently large to contain any ice or debris that may fall from the tower or one of its structural components.
MAJOR MOUNTAIN RIDGE OR PEAK. A major mountain ridge or peak is any, according to the USGS 1:24,000 Topographic Map, with an elevation that is greater than 3,000 feet above mean sea level, or an elevation that is greater than 500 feet above the adjacent valley floor, including all land within 100 feet below the elevation of any portion of such line or surface along the crest.
MONOPOLE. A single, freestanding pole-type structure supporting one or more antennas. For the purposes of this chapter, a monopole is used to support wireless telecommunication antennas and is not a utility pole.
TOWER.
A structure erected solely for the purpose of supporting one or more antennas designed to wirelessly transmit or receive any form of electronic communication; including self-supporting lattice towers, guy towers, or monopole towers. The term includes radio and television transmission towers, microwave towers, common-carrier towers, cellular telephone towers, alternative tower structures, and the like.
TOWER HEIGHT. The vertical distance measured from the ground at the base to the uppermost point of the tower, including any attached antenna, beacon, light or other structure(s) attached to the communication tower. Telecommunication towers, combined with any attached antenna, beacon, light or other structure(s) shall not be constructed over a maximum height of 200 feet.
TOWER SITE. The real property that an applicant(s) is required to have ownership of, leasehold of interest in, or easement over, pursuant to § 158.07(A).
VIEWSHED. Those lands seen from a known location forming a visual composition, with foreground, middle ground and background areas. Foreground is the area within one mile of the known location close enough to a viewer so that individual plant types, smells, colors, and forms are extremely vivid.
WIRELESS FACILITY. Equipment at a fixed location that enables wireless communications between user equipment and a communications network, including (i) equipment associated with wireless communications; and (ii) radio transceivers, antennas, wires, coaxial or fiber-optic cable, regular and backup power supplies, and comparable equipment, regardless of technological configuration. The term includes small wireless facilities. The term does not include any of the following:
(1) The structure or improvements on, under, within, or adjacent to which the equipment is collocated.
(2) Wireline backhaul facilities.
(3) Coaxial or fiber-optic cable that is between wireless structures or utility poles or city utility poles or that is otherwise not immediately adjacent to or directly associated with a particular antenna.
WIRELESS SUPPORT STRUCTURE. A new or existing structure, such as a monopole, lattice tower, or guyed tower that is designed to support or capable of supporting wireless facilities. A utility pole or a city utility pole is not a wireless support structure.
(Ord. passed 6-2-97; Am. Ord. passed 2-7-05; Am. Ord. passed 4-20-15; Am. Ord. passed 10-19-20; Am. Ord. passed 8-21-23)