Wireless support structures shall be subject to the following:
(A) Information.
(1) A preliminary tower or wireless support structure/facility design plan prepared by a state-registered professional engineer and containing the following information:
(a) The tower or wireless support structure/facility owner’s name and address, scale, north arrow, vicinity map and tax parcel identification number;
(b) The name, address, signature and seal of the engineer preparing the tower design plan;
(c) Information describing the tower or wireless support structure/facility height and design; a cross-section of the structure; engineering specifications detailing the construction of the tower or wireless support structure/facility the base of the tower or wireless support structure/facility; the foundations for all guy line anchors, and support structures. Tower height shall not exceed 80 feet. A free-standing wireless support structure/facility shall not exceed 20 feet higher than the maximum building height. A conditional use permit shall be required for any wireless support structure/facility that is greater than 55 feet;
(d) A tower or wireless support structure/facility elevation showing the proposed painting and lighting schemes and all proposed antennas, information describing the tower’s or wireless support structure/facility’s capacity, including the maximum number and type of antennas that it can accommodate, not to exceed five separate exposed antennas;
(e) An elevation of each proposed set of guy line anchors;
(f) The proposed tower or wireless support structure/facility design leads;
(g) Designed fall zone for a tower or wireless support/facility structure. All towers or wireless support structure/facility shall be enclosed by fencing in an area that is equal to the height of the tower unless a state-registered engineer certifies that the fall zone of the tower or wireless support structure/facility and appurtenances will be within the proposed area of enclosure. An additional penalty fee of $5,000 will be assessed if the tower falls outside of the enclosure area.
(2) The tower or wireless support structure/facility must be designed to meet the ANSI/ELA/TIA-222-G standards of minimum 100-year return wind speed and a minimum one-half inch of solid radial ice. This calculation must be certified by a state-registered engineer.
(3) Towers or wireless support structures shall be sited on a property so that all ice-fall or other debris from a potential tower failure can be contained in the property. The minimum distance from the tower’s or wireless support structure/facility base to the property line shall be equal to 125% of the tower’s height. However, the Board of Adjustment may reduce the setback distance where a state-registered engineer has certified that the tower or wireless support structure/facility has been designed so that the fall zone will be within a reduced setback area. Guy wires and other support devices shall be no closer than 200 feet from any lot line.
(4) A tower or wireless support structure/facility shall be set back from other on-site and off-site towers or wireless support structures/facilities and supporting structures such that the failure or collapse of one tower will not strike another tower or wireless support structure/facility or its support structure.
(5) The proposed tower or wireless support structure/facility shall be engineered and constructed to accommodate one additional antenna that does not add more than 20 feet in width or the width of the support structure at the level of the new appurtenance. A new tower or wireless support structure/facility permit approval is conditioned upon the tower structure’s owner agreeing to allow the future collocation of other antennas upon the tower or wireless support structure/facility. This provision shall not apply to monopole towers or alternative tower structures located on a major mountain ridge where the height restriction placed on the tower or alternative tower or wireless support/facility structure makes it infeasible or impractical to place more than one antenna on the tower or wireless support structure/facility.
(6) The town’s Zoning Administrator may require the applicant to pay for the cost of the town to hire a consultant to review the application of the applicant for any hearing; which is within the authority of the Board of Adjustments. Such fee shall not be used to pay for the consultant’s travel or meal expenses and shall not exceed $1,000.
(7) Failure to comply with the collocation requirements of this division (A) may result in the denial of a permit request or the revocation of an existing permit.
(8) Towers or wireless support structure/facilities shall be medium gray matte finish or another blending color as approved by the town, except when some other color may be required by applicable federal or state regulations. When deemed appropriate by the Board of Adjustment, a stealth tower can be required. A completely concealed wireless facility which is located within an existing structure shall not be subject to this requirement.
(9) Towers or wireless support structures shall display no advertisements, images or lettering of any kind; except that, required by federal or state regulations for emergency and cautionary purposes.
(10) Property located within the tower’s or wireless support structure’s fall area shall not be subdivided so long as the tower or wireless support structure/facility is standing.
(11) The base of the tower or wireless support structure/facility shall be surrounded by an opaque fence or wall at least eight feet in height unless the tower or wireless support structures is constructed entirely on a building over eight feet in height.
(12) Only monopole towers or alternative wireless support structures to be designed to blend the structure into the surrounding area shall be permitted.
(13) Location of a wireless structure or tower on a major mountain ridge shall be considered as a last resort and justifying documentation must be provided. No tower, or alternative tower, or wireless support structures located on any major mountain ridge shall have its highest point at an elevation greater than 20 feet higher than the vegetative canopy immediately surrounding the base of the tower. If no vegetative canopy exists, the tower shall have its highest point at an elevation no greater than 40 feet above the ground. A wireless support structure located on any major mountain ridge shall be monopole and designed to be concealed by a stealth design of the town’s approval. Lighting on these structures will not be permitted unless required by state or federal law.
(B) Exterior lighting specifications.
(1) No artificial lighting shall be permitted on towers or small wireless support structures/facilities, except as required to meet the minimum standards of the Federal Aviation Administration.
(2) If lighting is required, the Zoning Administrator shall review the available lighting alternatives and approve the design that would cause the least disturbance to surrounding properties and views.
(3) Security lighting at the base of a tower or wireless support structure/facility may be provided if the lighting is shielded so that no light is directed toward adjacent properties or rights-of- way.
(C) Detailed landscaping plan.
(1) The tower or wireless support structure/facility shall be designed and placed on the site in a manner that takes maximum advantage of existing trees, mature vegetation and structures so as to:
(a) Use the existing site features to screen the tower or wireless support structure/facility from prevalent views; or
(b) Use existing site features as a background so that the tower or wireless support structure blends into the background with increased site distances.
(2) Existing mature tree growth and natural landforms on the property where the tower or wireless support structure/facility site is located shall be preserved to the maximum extent possible. The tower and/or wireless support structure/facility shall be designed and placed on the site in a manner that will take maximum advantage of existing trees and mature vegetation so that the existing features will be used to screen the tower and wireless support structures/facilities from prevalent views.
(D) Location of telecommunications towers or wireless support structures.
(1) No telecommunications tower or wireless support structures may be located within the Historic Preservation District of the town unless the tower or wireless support structure is completely concealed from view.
(2) All free-standing towers shall be located upon a lot or leased property area consisting of a size of at least four acres. The enclosed fencing area around the tower shall be set back from all property lines or the boundary of the leased area to include the entire fall zone area. The remaining area of the lot or leased area of the tower shall, with the exception of access roads and other utility lines and their respective setbacks, consist of existing or planted tree growth sufficient to reasonably screen the tower from view.
(3) The applicant must present evidence of fee simple ownership or a recorded leasehold interest from the record owners of all property within a radius equal to the height of the tower. Any lease agreement must allow the leaseholder to enter into leases with other providers. Any lease agreement must specify that if the applicant provider fails to remove the tower upon 180 days of its discontinued use or Abandonment, the responsibility for removal shall fall upon the landowner.
(E) Fees. The application must be accompanied by payment of a non-refundable processing fee in the amount of $5,000.
(F) Variances. In the event the applicant wishes to request a variance from any requirement set forth in this chapter, the requirements set forth in this chapter for the town shall apply.
(Ord. passed 8-12-2019)