Development standards for wireless communications facilities shall include the following standards:
(A) Height standards.
(1) Attached WCF’s are exempt from any height standard. The following height standards shall apply to support structure installations and shall supersede the height limitations of the zoning districts in this Zoning Chapter:
(2) WCF’s in the General Industrial, Non-Urban, and Highway Business districts shall be restricted in height according to their relationships from adjacent districts as follows:
(a) WCF’s in the G-l, N-U, and C-2 districts may be no higher than 100 feet when sited within 250 feet of a Residential (R-1 or R-2) District.
(b) WCF’s in the G-l, N-U, and C-2 districts may be no higher than 200 feet when sited within 500 feet of a Residential (R-1 or R-2) District.
(c) WCF’s in the G-l, N-U, and C-2 districts may be no higher than 300 feet beyond 500 feet of a Residential (R-1 or R-2) District.
(d) All WCF’s with support structures exceeding 150 feet above ground level shall be engineered so as to accommodate at least three antenna arrays.
(e) No WCF shall be sited or built so as to interfere with the ingress or egress of helicopter traffic at a local hospital.
(B) Setback standards. The following setback standards shall apply to all WCF installations:
(1) All support structures shall be constructed to comply with the setback provisions of the zoning district in which they are located. In no instance shall any support structure be less than ten feet from any lot line.
(2) Attached WCF’s are exempt from any setback standard, but shall in no instance overhang or encroach upon the property of another or any public right-of-way. An antenna array may extend up to five feet horizontally beyond the edge of an attachment structure so long as the antenna array does not encroach upon any adjoining parcel.
(3) Equipment facilities and guy anchors, if permitted, must satisfy the setback requirements of the zoning district in which they are located.
(C) Landscaping. The following landscaping requirements shall be maintained by the applicant and shall apply to all new WCF installations:
(1) Support structures and attached WCF’s with new building construction shall be landscaped around the perimeter of the security fencing by a row of evergreen or evergreen shrubs capable of creating a continuous hedge and obtaining a height of at least ten feet. Trees shall be a minimum of one and one-half inch caliper, or shrubs a minimum of 36 inches tall, at the time of planting.
(2) Existing mature tree growth and natural landform on the site shall be preserved to the extent feasible, provided that vegetation that causes interference with the antennas or inhibits access to the equipment facility may be trimmed or removed.
(3) Existing vegetation on a WCF site may be used in lieu of required landscaping where approved by the Zoning Administrator.
(4) Grading for the new WCF shall be limited only to the area necessary for the new facility.
(D) Aesthetics, materials, and colors. The following standards shall apply to all WCF installations:
(1) Support structures shall either maintain a galvanized steel finish or, subject to any applicable standards of the FAA, be painted a neutral color, or such shades as are appropriate and compatible with the surrounding environment, so as to reduce visual obtrusiveness.
(2) Antenna array attachments and supporting electrical and mechanical equipment shall be of a color that is identical to, or closely compatible with, the color of the attachment structure so as to make the antenna array and related equipment as visually unobtrusive as possible.
(E) Security fencing. An opaque security fence not less than six feet in height shall enclose WCF’s with support structures.
(F) Lighting. The following lighting requirements shall apply to all WCF installations. WCF’s shall not be artificially illuminated, directly or indirectly, except for:
(1) Security and safety lighting of equipment buildings, if such lighting is appropriately shielded to keep fight within the boundaries of the site; and
(2) Such illumination of the WCF as may be required by the FAA or other applicable authorities, installed in a manner to minimize impacts on adjacent dwellings.
(G) Signage. WCF’s shall not display any signage, logos, decals, symbols, or any messages of a commercial nature, except for a message containing provider identification and emergency telephone numbers and other emergency warning information as may be required by local, state, or federal regulations governing WCF’s.
(H) Radio frequency emissions/sound. The following radio frequency emissions standards shall apply to all WCF installations:
(1) Radio frequency impact. Applicants for WCF’s shall be required to provide information with the application on the measurement of the effective radiated power of the facility to document that the facility complies with all applicable FCC standards.
(2) Sound prohibited. No unusual sound emissions such as alarms, bells, buzzers, or the like are permitted.
(I) Structural integrity. WCF’s with support structures shall be constructed and maintained in compliance to the Electronics Industries Association/Telecommunications Industries Association (EIA/TIA) 222-E Standard entitled “Structural Standards for Steel Antenna Towers and Antenna Supporting Structures” or equivalent, as it may be updated and amended. Each support structure shall be capable of supporting multiple antenna arrays.
(J) Co-location support structure design. To encourage co-location of WCF’s, all WCF’s shall be designed to accommodate multiple antenna arrays in accordance with the development standards prescribed in § 154.368, Height Standards.
(K) Co-location agreement. All applicants for WCF’s are required to submit a Co-Location Agreement with the tower and/or antenna use permit (TAP) application agreeing to allow and reasonably market co-location opportunities to other WCF users. The agreement shall include the applicant’s policy regarding the co-location of other providers and the methodology to be used by the applicant in determining reasonable rates to be charged to other providers. The Co-Location Agreement shall be considered a condition of issuance of a TAP. A TAP shall not be issued unless the applicant complies with the Shared Facilities and Co-Location Policy outlined in § 154.362.
(L) Other applicable regulations. All towers must meet or exceed current standards and regulations of the National Environment Policy Act (NEPA), State Historic Preservation (SHPO), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Federal Commerce Commission (FCC), and any other agency of the state or federal government with the authority to regulate towers and antennas. If such standards and regulations are changed, then the owners of the towers and antennas governed by this subchapter shall bring such towers and antennas.
(Ord. O-2014-06, passed 8-11-14)