The following regulations shall apply to the establishment, installation and operation of antennas including wireless communications facilities in all zoning districts.
(A) Compliance with building and electrical codes. Wireless communications facilities shall be installed and maintained in compliance with the requirements of the city’s building code and electrical code. Installers shall obtain a building permit and an electrical permit before installation.
(B) Advertising prohibited. Advertising material shall not be allowed on wireless communications facilities or on any antennas.
(C) Traffic Signals. Wireless communications facilities shall not be permitted to be installed on traffic signals within the city unless permitted by the provisions of § 153.030.030 of this code.
(D) Undergrounding. Electrical wiring associated with an wireless communications facilities shall be buried underground or hidden in a manner acceptable to the community development director or his or her designee. To the extent technologically feasible, all vaults, equipment, shelters, structures, or any other device related to or required for use of an antenna, related structure or wireless communications facility shall be underground where all other utilities are required to be underground. Where technologically feasible, the use of microwave dishes shall be prohibited and underground lines utilized.
(E) Noise. No equipment shall be operated so as to increase the noise in the vicinity of the equipment in excess of five decibels, other than in emergency situations requiring the use of a backup generator or monthly testing of said generator if the testing lasts no longer than 15 minutes. In all emergency situations, the city shall be immediately notified of the use of a backup generator and, on the next city business day, the operator shall secure all required permits and approvals necessary for the operation of the generator.
(F) Projections and anchoring in setback areas. No antenna array may extend beyond any property lines or into a front setback area. Guy wires may be attached to the structure but shall not be anchored within a front setback area. No guy wires shall be utilized in the public right-of-way unless alternate designs are infeasible and approved by the Public Works Director.
(G) Design considerations. The wireless communications facilities, including guy wires, supporting structures, and accessory equipment, shall be located and designed so as to minimize the visual impact on surrounding properties and from public streets. The materials used in constructing the antenna shall not be unnecessarily bright, shiny, garish, or reflective. Cellular, PCS and other wireless communications facilities shall be designed to be compatible with the surrounding physical environment by blending with the existing architecture and landscaping and by being as unobtrusive as possible.
(H) Specific plans. All wireless communications facilities shall comply with any applicable and adopted specific plan.
(I) Redevelopment plans. All wireless communications facilities shall comply with any applicable and adopted redevelopment plan. In addition, all proposed antennas in a redevelopment plan area shall be reviewed and approved by the Director.
(J) Equipment shelter and landscaping. All ground mounted antennas shall be screened by walls, fences, trellises or landscaping at least six feet in height so as to completely screen, camouflage and/or obscure visibility of the equipment shelter or any other ground mounted equipment, from public view. The equipment shelter shall be designed so as to be harmonious with and blend with the natural features, and be compatible with buildings and structures surrounding such structure. In addition and when applicable, landscaping shall be of a type and variety, and installed at sufficient size, to be capable of growing within one year so as to screen and obscure the visibility or camouflages the antenna. Irrigation shall also be installed when needed to maintain landscaping. No chain link fence shall be permitted.
(K) Aesthetically compatible. All wireless communications facilities and associated equipment shall be aesthetically compatible with surrounding uses and shall be designed and or located so as to avoid any adverse aesthetic impacts arising from the proposed use. The antennas, supporting structure and equipment shall be a color that blends the antennas and associated equipment with the natural setting and built environment and helps camouflage the antennas.
(L) Electrical requirements. Every wireless communications facility shall be adequately grounded with an adequate ground wire for protection against a direct strike of lightning. Ground wires shall be of the type approved by the latest edition of the electrical code for grounding masts and lightning arrestors and shall be installed in a mechanical manner, with as few bends as possible, maintaining a clearance of at least two inches from combustible materials. Lightning arrestors shall be used that are approved as safe by the Underwriter’s Laboratories, Inc., and both sides of the line shall be adequately protected with proper arrestors to remove static charges accumulated on the line. When lead-in conductors of polyethylene ribbon-type are used, lightning arrestors shall be installed in each conductor. When coaxial cable or shielded twin lead is used for lead-in, suitable protection may be provided without lightning arrestors by grounding the exterior metal sheath.
(M) Performance certification. For all wireless communications facilities, a certification shall be required to be submitted to the Director, in accordance with the requirements of § 153.180.070(A)(3), and every three years thereafter, at the operator’s cost, which provides that said facilities radio frequency emission levels meet Federal Communications Commission requirements.
(N) Terms of lease agreements. Co-location of cellular, PCS and other wireless communications facilities shall be encouraged. Lease agreements shall not include exclusive rights that would prohibit co-location where it is technically feasible.
(O) Maintenance. No wireless communications facility, equipment shelter, tower or related structure or device shall be permitted to fall into disrepair or maintained in manner that is unsightly or interferes with the reasonable enjoyment of adjacent property owners. All such structures and devices shall be continually maintained to prevent rust, chipped or peeling paint.
(Ord. 1346, passed 5-2-12) Penalty, see § 10.99