(A) All applications for wireless communications facilities shall be reviewed and determined by the Planning Commission in accordance with the following standards and conditions, and, if approved, shall be constructed and maintained in accordance with such standards and conditions. In addition, if the facility is approved, it shall be constructed and maintained with any additional conditions imposed by the Planning Commission in its discretion:
(B) The following information shall be submitted prior to the township approval to construct a wireless communication facility:
(2) A maintenance plan, and any applicable maintenance agreement, shall be presented and approved as part of the site plan for the proposed wireless communication facility. Such plan shall be designed to ensure long-term, continuous maintenance to a reasonable prudent standard;
(3) The application shall include a description of security to be posted at the time of receiving a building permit for the wireless communication facility to ensure removal of the facility when it has been abandoned or is no longer needed. In this regard, the Township Board shall specify the form of security as approved by the Township Attorney and recordable at the office of the Register of Deeds, establishing a promise of the applicant and the owner of the property to remove the facility in a timely manner as required under this section, with further provision that the applicant and owner shall be responsible for the payment of any costs and attorney fees incurred by the community in securing removal. The security shall be adjusted on an annual basis according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index annual average for the United States cities in the North Central Region of the United States; and
(4) The name, address and phone number of the person to contact for engineering, maintenance and other notice purposes. This information shall be continuously updated during all times the facility is on premises.
(C) The following special performance standards shall apply to wireless communications facilities.
(1) Wireless communication facilities must be set back from all property lines a distance equal to its height except accessory structures and buildings. See division (C)(2) below.
(2) Accessory structures are limited to uses associated with the operation of the facility and may not be located any closer to any property line than the minimum front yard requirement for the appropriate zoning district as found in § 154.044.
(3) Accessory structures shall not exceed 600 square feet of gross building area.
(4) All towers shall be equipped with anti-climbing device to prevent unauthorized access.
(5) The plans of the facility shall be certified by a registered structural engineer.
(6) The applicant shall provide verification that the antenna mount and structure have been approved by a professional engineer and that the installation is in compliance with all applicable codes.
(7) All facilities must meet the standards of the Federal Communications Commission and the Federal Aviation Administration.
(8) Towers in excess of 100 feet in height above grade level shall be prohibited within a two- mile radius of a public airport or one-half mile of a helipad.
(9) No part of any tower or antenna shall be constructed, located or maintained at any time, permanently or temporarily, on or upon any required setback area for the district in which the antenna or tower is to be located. In no case shall a tower or antenna be located within 30 feet of a property line.
(10) Metal towers shall be constructed of, or treated with, corrosive-resistant material.
(11) Antennas and metal towers shall be grounded for protection against a direct strike by lightning and shall comply as to electric wiring and connections with all applicable local statutes, regulations and standards.
(12) Towers with antennas shall be designed to withstand a uniform wind load.
(13) All signal and remote control conductors of law energy extending substantially horizontally above the ground between a tower or antenna and a structure, or between towers, shall be at least eight feet above the ground at all points, unless buried underground.
(14) Towers shall be located so that they do not interfere with reception in nearby residential areas.
(15) Towers shall be located so there is room for vehicles doing maintenance to maneuver on the property owned and or leased by the applicant.
(16) The base of the tower shall occupy no more than 500 square feet.
(17) Height of the tower shall not exceed 200 feet from grade within a commercial zoning district, and 300 feet from grade within an industrial or agricultural district.
(18) Towers shall not be artificially lighted except as required by Federal Aviation Administration.
(19) Existing on-site vegetation shall be preserved to the maximum extent practicable.
(20) There shall not be displayed advertising or identification of any kind intended to be visible from the ground or other structures, except as required for emergency purposes.
(21) There shall be no employees on the site on a permanent basis to service or maintain the facility. Occasional or temporary repair and service activities are excluded from this restriction.
(22) Where the property adjoins any residentially-zoned property or land use, the developer shall plant two alternating rows of evergreen trees with a minimum height of five feet on 20-foot centers along the entire perimeter of the tower and related structures. In no case shall the evergreens be any nearer than ten feet to any structure.
(23) The policy of the township is to minimize the number of wireless communications facilities in the township. Therefor, the township shall require colocation of wireless communication towers. Pursuant to this policy, the following standards apply to towers:
(a) All new and modified towers shall be designed and constructed so as to accommodate colocation; and
(b) A conditional use permit for the construction and use of a new tower shall not be granted unless and until the applicant demonstrates that a feasible colocation is not available for the coverage area and capacity needs.
(Ord. 1, passed 11-13-2000, § 8.1)