§ 155.12 ACCESSORY UTILITY BUILDINGS.

   All utility buildings and structures accessory to a tower shall be architecturally designed to blend in with the surrounding environment. Further, such buildings shall meet minimum setback requirements of the underlying zoning district. Ground-mounted equipment shall be screened from view by suitable vegetation and/or landscaping, except where a design of non-vegetative screening better reflects and compliments the architectural character of the surrounding area, in which case, such non-vegetative screening shall be utilized.

(Ord. 2023-9, passed 9-13-2023)

§ 155.13 ABANDONED OR UNUSED TOWERS OR PORTIONS OF TOWERS.

   Abandoned or unused towers or portions of towers shall be removed as follows.

   (A)   All abandoned or unused towers and associated facilities shall be removed within 12 months of the cessation of operations. A copy of the relevant portions of a signed lease, which require the applicant to remove the tower and associated facilities upon cessation of operations at the site, shall be submitted at the time of application. In the event that a tower is not removed in a timely manner as provided herein, the tower and associated facilities may be removed by the city, with the cost of removal assessed against a bond or other financial security as provided under § 155.15(E)(5).

   (B)   Unused portions of towers above utilized communications or other electrical equipment shall be removed within six months of the time of antenna relocation. The replacement of previously removed portions of a tower requires the issuance of a new building permit and a special use permit as applicable.

(Ord. 2023-9, passed 9-13-2023)

§ 155.14 INTERFERENCE WITH PUBLIC SAFETY TELECOMMUNICATIONS.

   No new or existing telecommunication service shall interfere with public safety telecommunications. All applications for new service shall be accompanied by an intermodulation study, which provides a technical evaluation of existing and proposed transmissions, and indicates all potential interference problems. Before the introduction of new services or changes in existing service, telecommunication providers shall notify the city at least ten calendar days in advance of such changes, and allow the city to monitor interference levels during the testing process.

(Ord. 2023-9, passed 9-13-2023)

§ 155.15 APPLICATION MATERIALS.

   All development applications for towers shall include written documentation evidencing compliance with each provision of this chapter, as well as the applicable zoning regulations, in addition to the following supplemental information.

   (A)   A report from a qualified and licensed professional engineer that:

      (1)   Describes the tower height and design, including a cross section in elevation;

      (2)   Documents the height above grade for all potential mounting positions for collocated antennas and the minimum separation distances between antennas;

      (3)   Describes the tower’s capacity, including the number and type of antennas that it can accommodate;

      (4)   Documents the steps the applicant will take to avoid interference with established public safety telecommunications;

      (5)   Includes an engineer’s stamp and registration number;

      (6)   Includes other information necessary to evaluate the request.

   (B)   Architectural drawings, depicting the constructed tower with camouflaging treatment set in the surrounding area. These drawings shall include at least one perspective each from the north, south, east, and west.

   (C)   An overhead map of the site, showing a one-mile radius of the subject tower’s location, as well as the location of each of the applicant’s existing and planned future tower sites.

   (D)   For all commercial wireless telecommunication service towers, a letter of intent committing the tower owner and his or her successors to allow the shared use of the tower, if an additional user agrees in writing to meet reasonable terms and conditions for shared use.

   (E)   Before a building permit is issued, the following supplemental information shall be provided:

      (1)   Proof that the proposed tower complies with regulations administered by the Federal Aviation Administration;

      (2)   Proof that the proposed tower complies with the emission standards promulgated by the Federal Communications Commission, ANSI and IEEE;

      (3)   A report from a qualified and licensed professional engineer that demonstrates the tower’s compliance with the aforesaid structural and electrical standards;

      (4)   Technological evidence indicating that the height of the tower requested is the minimum necessary to fulfill the site’s function;

      (5)   Proof of a bond or financial security sufficient to provide for the cost of removal in the case of abandonment as described within § 155.13(A) and (B).

(Ord. 2023-9, passed 9-13-2023)

§ 155.16 CONFLICT.

   If any portion of this chapter is found to be in conflict with any other provision of any zoning, building, fire safety, or other ordinance of the city code, the provision that establishes the higher standard shall prevail.

(Ord. 2023-9, passed 9-13-2023)