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WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS TOWERS AND ANTENNAS
§ 155.211 INTENT.
   (A)   The intent of this subchapter is to establish regulations and guidelines for the siting of wireless communications towers and antennas within the municipal boundaries to protect the public health, safety and welfare of its residents. Objectives of the city’s intent are listed as follow:
      (1)   Protect residential areas and land uses from potential adverse impacts of towers and antennas;
      (2)   Encourage the location of towers in non-residential areas;
      (3)   Minimize the total number of towers throughout the community;
      (4)   Strongly encourage the joint use (collocation) of new and existing tower sites as a primary option rather than construction of additional single-use towers;
      (5)   Encourage users of towers and antennas to locate them, to the extent possible, in areas where the adverse impact on the community is minimal;
      (6)   Encourage users of towers and antennas to configure them in a way that minimizes the adverse visual impact of the towers and antennas through careful design, siting, landscape screening, and innovative camouflaging techniques;
      (7)   Enhance the ability of the providers of telecommunications services to provide such services to the community quickly, effectively, and efficiently;
      (8)   Consider the public health and safety of communication towers; and
      (9)   Avoid potential damage to adjacent properties from tower failure through engineering and careful siting of tower structures.
   (B)   The city shall give due consideration to its master plan, zoning map, existing land uses, and environmentally sensitive areas in approving sites for the location of towers and antennas.
(Ord. 792, passed 12-3-01)
§ 155.212 DEFINITIONS.
   For the purposes of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply:
   ALTERNATIVE TOWER STRUCTURE. Man-made trees, clock towers, bell steeples, light poles and similar alternative-design mounting structures that camouflage or conceal the presence of antennas or towers.
   ANTENNA. Any exterior transmitting or receiving device mounted on a tower, building or structure and used in communications that radiate or capture electromagnetic waves, digital signals, analog signals, radio frequencies (excluding radar signals) wireless telecommunications signals or other communication signals.
   BACKHAUL NETWORK. The lines that connect a provider’s towers/cell sites to one or more cellular telephone switching offices, and/or long distance providers, or the public switched telephone network.
   FAA. The Federal Aviation Administration.
   FCC. The Federal Communications Commission.
   HEIGHT. The distance measured from the finished grade of the parcel to the highest point on the tower or other structure, including the base pad and any antenna when referring to a tower or other structure.
   PREEXISTING TOWERS and PREEXISTING ANTENNAS. Any tower or antenna for which a building permit or special condition use permit has been properly issued prior to the effective date of this chapter, including permitted towers or antennas that have not yet been constructed so long as such approval is current and not expired.
   TOWER. Any structure that is designed and constructed primarily for the purpose of supporting one or more antennas for telephone, radio and similar communication purposes, including self-supporting lattice towers, guyed 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. The term includes the structure and any support thereto.
(Ord. 792, passed 12-3-01)
§ 155.213 APPLICABILITY.
   (A)   New towers and antennas. All new towers or antennas in the city shall be subject to these regulations, except as provided in § 155.213 (B) through (D), inclusive.
   (B)   Amateur radio station operators/receive only antennas. Federal law shall govern installation and operation of amateur radio stations and receive only satellite dishes.
   (C)   Preexisting towers or antennas. Preexisting towers and preexisting antennas shall not be required to meet the requirements of this chapter, other than the requirements of § 155.214 (F) and (G).
   (D)   AM array. For purposes of implementing this chapter, an AM array, consisting of one or more tower units and supporting ground system which functions as one AM broadcasting antenna, shall be considered one tower. Measurements for setbacks and separation distances shall be measured from the outer perimeter of the towers included in the AM array. Additional tower units may be added within the perimeter of the AM array by right.
(Ord. 792, passed 12-3-01)
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