1165.01 PURPOSE.

   The purpose of this chapter is to establish general guidelines for the siting of wireless communications towers and antennas and to comply with the requirements of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 in providing for the ability of providers of telecommunications services to make available such services in an expeditious manner. While enabling such services, these regulations are designed to protect the public health, safety and welfare of the community through the careful siting of said installations to avoid potential damage to adjacent properties from either tower failure or visual impact. In preparing applications for permits to erect wireless communications towers, antennas, and accessory buildings or structures in the City, applicants are hereby advised of the following standards which shall govern such applications and installations when approved by the City:

   (a)   The protection of residential areas and land uses from potential adverse impacts of towers and antennas and appurtenant structures;

   (b)   Requiring the location of towers on City owned property only;

   (c)   Minimizing the total number of towers throughout the community through the use of collocation of joint use of new or existing towers or structures in lieu of the construction of single use towers. Collocation is required unless sufficient proof of the inability to do so can be furnished by the applicant;

   (d)   In reviewing applications for telecommunications facilities, the City shall consult its overall comprehensive master plan, the permitted and conditionally permitted uses of land by zoning district, existing land uses, and the impact of such structures upon environmentally and historically sensitive areas;

   (e)   Adverse visual impact is to be minimized through careful design, siting, landscape screening and innovative camouflaging techniques;

      (Ord. 2000-143. Passed 6-26-00.)