(A) Lighting - Communication facilities shall not be artificially lit, except for:
(1) Security and safety lighting of equipment buildings if such lighting is compliant with the model lighting ordinance prepared by the International Dark Sky Association and the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America; and
(2) Required lighting by the FAA or other applicable authority, such lighting shall be installed in a manner to minimize impacts on adjacent residences.
(B) Noise - No equipment shall be operated at a communication facility so as to produce noise in excess of the applicable City Noise Ordinance, Chapter 92, except when emergency situations require the use of backup generators.
(C) Structural integrity - At the time of permitting all towers must be designed and certified to conform with the Florida Building Code, and any of its updates or amendments.
(D) Setbacks:
(1) All towers, regardless of their type or zoning district, shall be setback from all property lines of the property for which the tower resides, a minimum distance equal to half the height of the tower.
(2) All towers must also be camouflaged in the CC, HC, and IU zoning districts.
(3) Anchoring. All guy wires or other communication tower anchoring devices shall maintain at least a ten foot setback to any property lines. Guyed and/or lattice towers are permitted only in the LI and HI zoning districts. All other communication towers, where permitted, shall be self-supporting monopole towers.
(E) Fencing and landscaping.
(1) An eight (8) foot tall fence or wall, as measured from the finished grade of the site, shall be required around the perimeter of all communication tower sites. Access to the tower(s) shall be through a locked gate.
(2) A ten (10) foot wide landscape buffer shall either be installed or preserved in the natural state around the fence or wall. This landscape buffer shall screen the base of the communications tower and ancillary structures. All landscaping shall be drought tolerant or irrigated, and shall be maintained in good health. Planted shrubs shall be a minimum of two (2) feet tall and spaced a minimum of three (3) feet apart. Planted trees shall contain a minimum 2-inch DBH and have an overall height of ten (10) feet at the time of planting.
(F) High voltage and "No Trespassing" warning signs.
(1) If high voltage is necessary for the operation of the communications tower or any accessory structures, "High Voltage-Danger" warning signs shall be permanently attached to the fence or wall and shall be spaced not more than 40 feet apart.
(2) At least one "No Trespassing" sign shall be permanently attached to the fence or wall.
(3) At least one (1) sign shall be permanently attached to the fence or wall that provides the name of the owner of the tower and the name of each carrier that has antennae on the tower, as well as emergency phone numbers for each. The sign shall be visible from the access point of the site. Whenever the information on this sign changes, such as the tower being sold, the antennae or other apparatus are sold, a new service provider co-locates on the tower, the owner or lessee changes contact
information, etc, the sign must be updated accordingly within seven (7) business days.
(G) Equipment storage. Mobile or immobile equipment not used in direct support of a tower facility shall not be stored or parked on the site of the communication tower, unless repairs to the tower are being made. Storage sheds or buildings shall be allowed on communication sites if fully enclosed with a roof.
(H) Hurricane evacuation routes. Communication towers shall not be constructed at a height and location that, in the event the tower is toppled, the tower fall zone would totally or partially block or impede any road designated as a hurricane evacuation route.
(I) Communication facilities not on towers. Excluding residential districts, communication facilities which are not attached to a tower may be permitted on any alternative support structure, regardless of the zoning restrictions applicable to the zoning district where the structure is located. The owner of such structure shall provide written certification of the following when applying for a building permit:
(1) That the height of the communications facilities does not exceed the height of the alternative support structure by more than 20 feet.
(2) That any communications facilities and their appurtenances, located above the primary roof of an alternative support structure, are set back one foot from the edge of the primary roof for each two feet in height above the primary roof of the communications facilities. However, this setback requirement shall not apply to communications facilities and their appurtenances that are appropriately screened from view through the use of panels, walls, fences or other screening techniques approved by the city or located on non-inhabitable structures. Setback requirements shall not apply to camouflaged antennas. Camouflaged antennas shall not protrude more than 18 inches from the side of the alternative support structure.
(3) The alternative support structure and communications facilities shall comply with the Florida Building Code and the city's land development regulations.
(4) The communications antenna and supporting electrical and mechanical equipment must be of a color that is identical to, or closely compatible with the color of the supporting structure, so as to make the communications facilities visually unobtrusive.
(Ord. 98-19, passed 7-16-98; Am. Ord. 2011-37, passed 7-21-11)