(A) Concealment. All wireless facilities must be concealed to the maximum extent feasible with design elements and techniques that mimic or blend with the underlying support structure, surrounding environment and adjacent uses.
(B) Overall height. All wireless facilities must be compliant with maximum overall height limits applicable to structures on the underlying parcel; provided, however, that a stealth wireless facility may exceed the applicable height limit by not more than ten feet.
(C) Setbacks. All wireless facilities must be compliant with all setback requirements applicable to structures on the underlying parcel.
(D) Fall zone. All freestanding towers outside the public rights-of-way must be setback from habitable structures approved for residential occupancy by a distance equal to the tower height. The approval authority may waive the setback requirement for freestanding towers that meet Class 3 structural standards for critical infrastructure as defined in the most current revision of the ANSI/TIA-222 Structural Standard for Antenna Supporting Structures, Antennas and Small Wind Turbine Support Structures.
(E) Noise. All wireless facilities must be compliant with all applicable noise regulations, which include, without limitation, any noise regulations in the Madera Municipal Code. The approval authority may require the applicant to incorporate appropriate noise-baffling materials and/or noise-mitigation strategies to avoid any ambient noise from equipment reasonably likely to exceed the applicable noise regulations.
(F) Landscaping. All wireless facilities proposed to be placed in a landscaped area must include landscape features (which may include, without limitation, trees, shrubs and ground cover) and a landscape maintenance plan. The approval authority may require additional landscape features to screen the wireless facility from public view, avoid or mitigate potential adverse impacts on adjacent properties or otherwise enhance the concealment required under this section. All plants proposed or required must be native and/or drought resistant.
(G) Security measures. To prevent unauthorized access, theft, vandalism, attractive nuisance or other hazards, reasonable and appropriate security measures, such as fences, walls and anti-climbing devices, may be approved. Security measures shall be designed and implemented in a manner that enhances or contributes to the overall concealment, and the approval authority may condition approval on additional concealment elements to mitigate any aesthetic impacts, which may include, without limitation, additional landscape features. The approval authority shall not approve barbed wire, razor ribbon, electrified fences or any similar security measures.
(H) Secondary power sources. The approval authority may approve secondary or backup power sources and/or generators on a case-by-case basis. The approval authority shall not approve any permanent diesel generators or other similarly noisy or noxious generators in or within 200 feet from any residence; provided, however, the approval authority may approve sockets or other connections used for temporary backup generators.
(I) Lights. Wireless facilities may not include exterior lights other than as may be required under Federal Aviation Administration, FCC, other applicable federal or state governmental regulations. All exterior lights permitted or required to be installed must be installed in locations and within enclosures that mitigates illumination impacts on other properties to the maximum extent feasible. Any lights associated with the electronic equipment shall be appropriately shielded from public view. Any light beacons or lightning arresters shall be included in the overall height calculation.
(J) Signage; decals; advertisements. All wireless facilities must include signage that accurately identifies the equipment owner/operator, the owner/operator's site name or identification number and a toll-free number to the owner/operator's network operations center. Wireless facilities may not bear any other signage, decals or advertisements unless expressly approved by the approval authority, required by law or recommended under FCC or other federal governmental agencies for compliance with RF emissions regulations.
(K) Future expansion. To the extent feasible and aesthetically desirable, all new wireless facilities should be designed and sited in a manner that accommodates potential future collocations and other expansions that can be integrated into the proposed wireless facility or its associated structures with no or negligible visual changes to the outward appearance. The approval authority may waive the requirements in this division when the approval authority determines future expansions at a proposed wireless facility would be aesthetically undesirable.
(L) Utilities. All cables and connectors for telephone, primary electric and other similar utilities must be routed underground to the extent feasible in conduits large enough to accommodate future collocated wireless facilities. To the extent feasible, undergrounded cables and wires must transition directly into the pole base without any external doghouse. Meters, panels, disconnect switches and other associated improvements must be placed in inconspicuous locations to the extent possible. The approval authority shall not approve new overhead utility lines or service drops merely because compliance with the undergrounding requirements would increase the project cost. Microwave or other wireless backhaul is discouraged when it would involve a separate and unconcealed antenna.
(M) Parking; access. Any equipment or improvements constructed or installed in connection with any wireless facilities must not reduce any parking spaces below the minimum requirement for the subject property. Whenever feasible, wireless facilities should use existing parking and access rather than construct new parking or access improvements. Any new parking or access improvements should be the minimum size necessary to reasonably accommodate the proposed use.
(N) Compliance with laws. All wireless facilities must be designed and sited in compliance with all applicable federal, state and local laws, regulations, rules, restrictions and conditions, which includes without limitation the California Building Standards Code, Americans with Disabilities Act, City of Madera General Plan and any applicable specific plan, the Madera Municipal Code and any conditions or restrictions in any permit or other governmental approval issued by any public agency with jurisdiction over the project.
(O) Towers and freestanding wireless facilities. In addition to all other design requirements in this section, the following provisions shall be applied to an application for a tower or other freestanding wireless facility:
(1) Tower-mounted equipment. All tower-mounted equipment must be mounted as close to the vertical support structure as possible to reduce its overall visual profile. Applicants must mount non-antenna, tower-mounted equipment (including, but not limited to, remote radio units/heads, surge suppressors and utility demarcation boxes) directly behind the antennas to the maximum extent feasible. All tower-mounted equipment, cables and hardware must be painted with flat/neutral colors subject to the approval authority's prior approval.
(2) Ground-mounted equipment. All ground-mounted equipment must either be concealed underground, or concealed within an existing or new structure, or other enclosure(s) subject to the approval authority's prior approval. The approval authority may require additional concealment elements as the approval authority finds necessary or appropriate to blend the ground-mounted equipment, enclosure and/or other improvements into the natural and/or built environment.
(3) Monopines. In addition to all other design requirements in this section, the following provisions shall be applied to an application for a monopine:
(a) Shape and branching. Monopines shall be gradually tapered from bottom to top to resemble the natural conical pine-tree shape, with shorter branches at the top and wider branches at the bottom. All monopines shall include a "crown" or "topper" installed above the monopole to create a natural point at the top. Branches shall begin at no greater than 15 feet above ground level and maintain at least 3.5 branches per vertical foot when averaged between the bottom-most branch and the highest point on the monopole (excluding any "crown" or "topper" installed above the monopole).
(b) Overall height. To maintain a natural appearance, a monopine may not exceed more than ten feet above the average height of mature natural trees within the vicinity. If the applicant plants new natural trees around the proposed monopine, the approval authority shall consider the future mature height of such trees when evaluating compliance with this standard.
(c) Bark cladding. The entire tower above any fence line shall be fitted with faux-pine bark cladding, painted or colored with browns or other appropriate earth tones to mimic natural pine bark.
(d) Equipment concealment. All antennas, accessory equipment, cross arms, hardware, cables and other attachments to the monopine must be painted or colored with flat greens, browns or other appropriate earth tones to blend into the faux pine branches. All antennas, remote radio units, tower-mounted amplifiers and other similar equipment larger than one cubic foot shall be fitted with a faux-pine "sock" with faux-pine needles. No tower-mounted equipment shall be permitted to protrude beyond the branch canopy such that it would materially alter the tapered pine shape.
(e) Material selection and approval. All materials and finishes used to conceal the monopine shall be subject to prior approval by the department. Applicants shall use only high-quality materials to conceal the wireless facility. The applicant shall use color-extruded plastics for elements such as the faux-pine needles and faux-bark cladding to prolong the like-new appearance and reduce fading caused by exposure to the sun and other weather conditions.
(P) Building-mounted wireless facilities. In addition to all other design requirements in this section, the following provisions shall be applied to an application for a wireless facility installed on a building rooftop or façade:
(1) Architectural integration. All applicants should, to the extent feasible, propose new non-tower wireless facilities that are completely concealed and architecturally integrated into the existing façade or rooftop features with no visible impacts from any publicly accessible areas at ground level (examples include, but are not limited to, antennas behind existing parapet walls or façades replaced with RF-transparent material and finished to mimic the replaced materials). Alternatively, when integration with existing building features is not feasible, the applicant should propose completely concealed new structures or appurtenances designed to mimic the support structure's original architecture and proportions (examples include, but are not limited to, cupolas, steeples, chimneys and water tanks). Facilities must be located behind existing parapet walls or other existing screening elements to the maximum extent feasible.
(2) Rooftop wireless facilities. All rooftop-mounted equipment must be screened from public view with concealment measures that match the underlying structure in proportion, quality, architectural style and finish. The approval authority may approve unscreened rooftop equipment only when it expressly finds that such equipment is effectively concealed due to its low height and/or setback from the roofline.
(3) Façade-mounted wireless facilities. When wireless facilities cannot be placed behind existing parapet walls or other existing screening elements, the approval authority may approve façade-mounted equipment in accordance with this division. All façade-mounted equipment must be concealed behind screen walls and mounted as flush to the façade as practicable. The approval authority may not approve "pop-out" screen boxes unless the design is architecturally consistent with the original building or support structure. Except in industrial districts, the approval authority may not approve any exposed façade-mounted antennas, including but not limited to exposed antennas painted to match the façade. To the extent feasible, façade-mounted equipment must be installed on the façade(s) along the building frontage that is the least prominent or publicly visible.
(Q) Administrative design guidelines. The Director may develop, and from time to time amend, design guidelines consistent with the generally applicable design regulations to clarify the aesthetic and public safety goals and standards in this chapter for city staff, applicants and the public. The design guidelines shall provide more detailed standards to implement the general principals articulated in this chapter and may include specific standards for particular wireless facilities or site locations but shall not unreasonably discriminate between functionally equivalent service providers. The design guidelines, and any subsequent amendments, shall not be effective unless approved by a resolution adopted by the City Council. If a conflict arises between the development standards specified in this chapter and the design guidelines, the development standards shall control.
(Ord. 995 C.S., passed 10-19-22)