(A) The placement of antenna and towers are permitted in all zoning districts by administrative permit approved by the Director only as follows:
(1) The attachment of additional or replacement antennas or shelters to any tower existing on the effective date of this subchapter or subsequently approved in accordance with these regulations and requiring the enlargement of the existing tower compound area as long as all other requirements of this section and the underlying zoning district are met;
(2) The one-time replacement of any tower existing on the effective date of this subchapter or subsequently approved in accordance with these regulations so long as the purpose of the replacement is to accommodate shared use of the site or to eliminate a safety hazard. The new tower shall be of the same type as the original except that a guyed or self-supporting (lattice) tower may be replaced by a monopole. If the guyed or lattice tower to be replaced is 180 feet or less in height, it shall only be replaced with a monopole. The height of the new tower may exceed that of the original by not more than 20 feet. Subsequent replacements shall require the approval of a special use permit;
(3) The construction of a disguised support structure; provided that, all related equipment shall be placed underground or concealed within the structure when the structure is located in any district other than a district authorizing industrial uses. Equipment may be placed in a cabinet if the disguised support structure is incidental to an industrial, commercial, institutional or other non-residential use;
(4) The placement of dual polar panel antennas on wooden or steel functioning utility poles not to exceed 40 feet in height in any residentially zoned district and on any such poles (or functional replacement poles of no greater height) existing in any other district on the date of adoption of this subchapter. All related equipment for antennas permitted by this division (A)(4) shall be wholly contained in a cabinet; and
(5) Towers erected and maintained for a period not to exceed 45 days for the purpose of replacing an existing tower, testing an existing or proposed network, or special events requiring mobile towers.
(B) Applications for administrative permits shall be made on the appropriate forms to the Director and accompanied by payment of $500, or such other fee as may be established by the Council.
(C) A detailed site plan, based on a closed boundary survey of the host parcel, shall be submitted indicating all existing and proposed improvements including buildings, drives, walkway, parking areas and other structures, public right-of-way, the zoning categories of the subject and adjoining properties, the location of and distance to off-site residential structures, required setbacks, required buffer and landscape areas, hydrologic features and the coordinates and height AGL of the existing or proposed tower.
(D) The application shall be reviewed by the Director to determine compliance with the above standards and transmit the application for review and comment by other departments and public agencies as may be affected by the proposed facility.
(E) The Director shall issue a decision on the permit within 45 days of the date of application or the application shall be deemed approved unless the time period for review and action was extended. The Director may deny the application or approve the application as submitted or with such modifications as are, in his or her judgment, reasonably necessary to protect the safety or general welfare of the citizens consistent with the purposes of this section. The Director may consider the purposes of this section and the factors established herein for granting a special use permit as well as any other considerations consistent with this subchapter. A decision to deny an application shall be made in writing and state the specific reasons for the denial.
(F) Appeals from the decision of the Director shall be made in the same manner as otherwise provided for the appeal of administrative decisions.
(Ord. 3399, passed 12-5-2005)