(A) Purpose. The purposes of this section are to:
(1) Provide a variety of locations and options for wireless providers while minimizing the negative visual impacts associated with small wireless facilities;
(2) Encourage creative approaches in locating and designing small wireless facilities that blend in with the surroundings of such facilities;
(3) Provide standards that comply with the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (the "Telecommunications Act") and the Small Wireless Facilities Deployment Act (ILCS Ch. 50, Act 835, §§ 1 et seq.); the provisions of this section are not intended and shall not be interpreted to prohibit or have the effect of prohibiting personal wireless services as defined in the Telecommunications Act; and
(4) Administer the provisions of this subchapter in such a manner as not to unreasonably discriminate between providers of functionally equivalent personal wireless services, as defined in the Telecommunications Act.
(B) Site location and development of small wireless facilities shall preserve the existing character of the surrounding buildings and landscape to the extent consistent with the function of the proposed small wireless facilities. All small wireless support infrastructure and poles shall be integrated through location and design to blend in with the existing characteristics of the site to the extent practical. Existing on-site vegetation shall be preserved or improved, and disturbance to the existing topography shall be minimized unless such disturbance would result in less adverse visual impact to the surrounding area. The following provisions establish design and concealment standards for small wireless facilities.
(1) Building attachment. Small wireless facilities may be mounted to a building if the antennas do not interrupt the building's architectural theme. To the extent possible all small wireless facilities shall be concealed within a structure that is architecturally compatible with the existing rooftop. Rooftop additions shall be concealed on all sides.
(2) Small wireless facilities attached to the side or roof of buildings shall employ a symmetrical, balanced design for all facade mounted antennas. Subsequent deployments will be required to ensure consistent design, architectural treatment, and symmetry when placing antennas on the structure's exterior with any existing small wireless facilities on the same side of the structure.
(3) The interruption of architectural lines or horizontal or vertical reveals is prohibited unless demonstrated to be unavoidable.
(4) New architectural features such as columns, pilasters, corbels, or other ornamentation that conceal antennas may be used if it complements the architecture of the existing building.
(5) Small wireless facilities shall utilize the smallest mounting brackets necessary in order to provide the smallest offset from the building.
(6) Skirts or shrouds shall be utilized on the sides and bottoms of antennas in order to conceal mounting hardware, create a cleaner appearance, and minimize the visual impact of the antennas. Exposed conduit, cabling and wiring is prohibited.
(7) Small wireless facilities shall be painted and textured to match the adjacent building surfaces.
(8) All installations of small wireless facilities shall have permission from the pole/structure owner to install facilities on such structure.
(C) Signs.
(1) Small wireless facilities replicating a sign shall be subject to the requirements of § 156.43. A sign permit is required unless the small wireless facilities are placed entirely within an existing sign.
(2) All antennas shall be completely screened by the facade of the sign.
(3) All cables and conduit to and from the sign shall be routed from within the building wall or structure upon which the sign is mounted. Cable coverings may be allowed on the exterior of the building wall in limited circumstances in situations where they are minimally visible and concealed to match the adjacent building surfaces.
(D) Existing or replacement utility poles. An existing utility pole may be replaced or altered to accommodate small wireless facilities and related equipment subject to the following requirements:
(1) Replacement utility poles shall conform to any design standard for the surrounding zoning district, subdivision, or planned unit development, including, but not limited to, Historic Districts as defined herein and planned unit developments as defined in Chapter 156 of this code. The replacement pole shall look substantially the same as existing poles in the surrounding zoning district, subdivision, or planned unit development.
(2) When no design standard is identified for a particular zoning district, subdivision, or planned unit development, replacement poles shall match the height, width, color, and material of the original or adjacent poles. The maximum height of any new or replacement pole shall not exceed limits specified in § 95.103(H), subject to any variation requested pursuant to § 95.103(I). The city may, likewise, approve minor variations of up to 50% of the pole width or 30 inches, whichever is greater, when housing equipment within the pole base.
(3) Replacement poles shall be located as close as possible to the existing pole to be replaced, and the replaced pole shall be removed.
(4) Wherever compatible with the pole design and technologically feasible, all equipment and cabling shall be internal to the replacement street lighting or traffic signal standard or otherwise camouflaged to appear to be an integrated part of a utility pole. If equipment or cabling is not proposed to be placed internal to the replacement pole, a concealment element plan shall be submitted in accordance with the provisions of § 95.112(B) of this subchapter.
(5) No illumination. Small wireless facilities shall not be illuminated.
(6) Generators and backup battery. Generators are not permitted for small wireless facilities. All proposed battery backups must be requested through the submittal of a concealment element plan in accordance with the provisions of § 95.112(B) of this subchapter.
(7) Cabinet location and dimensions. The equipment cabinet for small wireless facilities shall be the smallest amount of cabinet enclosure necessary to enclose the equipment. Disconnect switches may be located outside of the primary equipment cabinet.
(8) Flush-mounting and pole-top antennas. In situations when interior concealment is demonstrated not to be possible, the small wireless facility shall, to the full extent permitted under the state electrical code and the utilities' requirements, be flush-mounted on the subject pole, which means mounting directly to the pole with little to no gap other than that which may be required for the screws/bolts, or located at the top of the pole. Canisters attached to the top of a pole shall not exceed the diameter of the pole unless technically required and then shall not be more than 50% greater than the diameter of the pole.
(9) Antenna design. Where an enclosure is proposed to house an antenna, the antenna shall be located in an enclosure of no more than six cubic feet in volume, or in case of an antenna that has exposed elements, the antenna and all of its exposed elements could fit within an enclosure of no more than six cubic feet. No more than four antennas are permitted on a single pole and with a total volume not to exceed 24 cubic feet.
(10) Material and color. If interior concealment described in § 95.112(B) is not possible, the small wireless facility shall to the maximum extent feasible match the color of the pole and shall be non-reflective.
(E) New poles. In areas of the city in which above-ground facilities are allowed in the public right-of-way pursuant to § 95.43 the installation of a new pole for the purpose of locating small wireless facilities is permitted only when the applicant establishes that:
(1) The small wireless facility cannot be located on a site outside of the public right-of-way such as a public park, public property, or in or on a building whether by roof or panel-mount or separate structure; and
(2) The small wireless facility cannot be located on an existing pole within the public right-of-way; and
(3) The applicant shall establish the foregoing requirements by submission of competent documentary evidence that:
(a) No existing towers or structures are located within the geographic area required to meet the applicant's engineering plans;
(b) Existing utility poles, towers, base stations, or small wireless support structures are not of sufficient height to meet the applicant's engineering requirements;
(c) Existing utility poles, towers, base stations, or small wireless support structures do not have sufficient structural strength to support the applicant's proposed small wireless facility;
(d) The applicant's proposed small wireless facility would cause electromagnetic interference with the existing utility poles, towers, base stations, or small wireless facilities, or the existing utility poles, towers, base stations, or small wireless facilities would cause interference with the applicant's proposed small wireless facility;
(e) The fees, costs and contractual provisions required by the owners of the existing utility poles, towers, base stations, or small wireless support structures to share existing space, or to adapt existing structures for sharing space are unreasonable. Costs exceeding new tower development are presumed to be unreasonable;
(f) The applicant demonstrates that there are other limiting factors which render existing utility poles, towers, base stations, or small wireless support structures unsuitable; and
(g) Applicants shall provide evidence that reasonable efforts to develop an alternative location on an existing utility pole, tower or small wireless support structure have been made.
(F) Ground-mounted equipment standards; ADA compliance required. To allow full use of the public right-of-way by pedestrians, bicycles and other users, all ground-mounted equipment other than poles or wireless support structures shall be housed underground in a vault meeting the city's construction standards. The location of wireless support structures, replacement poles, and/or any new poles shall comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), city construction standards, and state and federal regulations in order to provide a clear and safe passage within the public right-of-way.
(G) Maximum noise levels. No small wireless facilities or related equipment shall be operated to produce noise levels above 40 decibels as measured from the nearest property line to which the small wireless facility is located.
(H) Advertising prohibited. No lettering, symbols, images, or trademarks large enough to be legible to pedestrian or vehicular users of the right-of-way or other persons occupying the space in the immediate area of the small wireless facility, utility pole, or small wireless support structure shall be placed on or affixed to any utility pole, small wireless support structure, or small wireless facility other than as required by Federal Communications Commission regulations or other applicable law. Small wireless facilities concealed within signs or billboards shall not be construed to be in violation of this prohibition.
(I) Concealment element plan.
(1) Concealment element plan required. Applications for proposed small wireless facility installations which do not conform to a preferred concealment technique as identified in § 95.112(B) shall submit a concealment element plan. The plan shall include the design of the screening, fencing, or other concealment technology for a base station, pole, or equipment structure, and all related transmission equipment or facilities associated with the proposed small wireless facility.
(2) Purpose of concealment element plan, generally. Concealment element plans should seek to minimize the visual obtrusiveness of proposed small wireless facilities using methods including, but not limited to, integrating the installation with architectural features or building design components, utilization of coverings or concealment devices of similar material, color and texture, or the appearance thereof, as the surface or background against which the small wireless facility will be seen or on which it will be installed. Other concealment element approaches may include, but not be limited to, use of street furniture concealment products such as trash cans, benches, information kiosks, or other types of enclosures reasonably compatible to conceal ground level equipment. Additionally, the use of a concealment support or device, such as a clock tower, steeple, flagpole, tree, wayfinding sign, decorative pole with banner, art work, street sign, or other applicable concealment structure may be approved.
(3) Review of concealment element plan. Where a small wireless facility is proposed that does not comply with a preferred concealment technique as specified in § 95.112(B), a concealment element plan shall be subject to city review and approval in conformance with the procedures, terms and conditions set forth in § 156.23.
(Ord. 18-27, passed 6-26-18)