The purpose of this chapter is to establish regulations for wireless telecommunications facilities. The goals of this chapter are:
(a) To protect residential areas and lands by minimizing adverse impacts of towers;
(b) To encourage the location of towers in non-residential zoning districts;
(c) To minimize the total number of towers in the community;
(d) To encourage the joint use of new and existing tower locations;
(e) To ensure that towers are located in areas that minimize adverse impacts;
(f) To ensure towers and antennas are configured in a way that minimizes adverse visual impacts by careful design, appropriate siting, landscape screening, and innovative camouflaging techniques;
(g) To enhance the ability to provide telecommunications services to the community quickly, effectively and efficiently;
(h) To consider public health and safety of telecommunications facilities;
(i) To avoid damage to adjacent properties from tower failure through careful engineering and locating of tower structures;
(j) To encourage the attachment of antennas to existing structures;
(k) To facilitate the provision of telecommunications services throughout the City; and
(l) To allow the location of antennas near certain interstate highways in residential districts. (Ord. 2002-29. Passed 1-6-03.)
As used in this chapter, the following words shall have the meanings set forth below.
(a) “Antenna” means a system of electrical conductors that transmit or receive electromagnetic waves or radio frequency signals. Such waves shall include, but not be limited to, radio, television, cellular, paging, personal telecommunications service, internet, and microwave telecommunications.
(b) “Collocation” means the use of a wireless telecommunications facility by more than one wireless telecommunications provider.
(c) “Lattice tower” means a support structure constructed of vertical metal struts and cross braces forming a triangular or square structure which often tapers from the foundation to the top.
(d) “Monopole” means a support structure constructed of a single, self supporting hollow metal tube securely anchored to a foundation.
(e) “Open space” means land devoted to conservation or recreational purposes and/or land designed by a municipality to remain undeveloped.
(f) “Telecommunication” means the technology which enables information to be exchanged through the transmission of voice, video, or data signals by means of electrical or electromagnetic systems.
(g) “Wireless telecommunications antenna” means the physical device through which electromagnetic, wireless telecommunications signals authorized by the Federal Communications Commission are transmitted or received. Antennas used by amateur radio operators are excluded from this definition.
(h) “Wireless telecommunications equipment shelter” means the structure in which the electronic receiving and relay equipment for a wireless telecommunications facility is housed.
(i) “Wireless telecommunications facility” means a facility consisting of the equipment and structures involved in receiving telecommunications or radio signals from a mobile radio communications source and transmitting those signals to a central switching computer which connects the mobile unit with the land- based telephone lines.
(j) “Wireless telecommunications tower” means a structure intended to support equipment used to transmit and/or receive telecommunications signals including monopoles, guyed and lattice construction steel structures.
(Ord. 2002-29. Passed 1-6-03.)
A wireless telecommunications facility which includes a tower or antenna may be permitted as a conditional use in the zoning districts specified in this Chapter, if the applicant satisfies the requirements of this Chapter and Section 1242.07
of the Codified Ordinances.
(Ord. 2002-29. Passed 1-6-03.)
(a) Availability of Collocation. In order to be considered for review in any zoning district, the applicant must prove by substantial evidence that a newly-constructed tower or antenna is necessary for the reason that opportunities for collocation on an existing tower are not feasible, as set forth in Section 1273.05 below.
(b) Availability of General Industrial Zoned Sites. When applying for a wireless telecommunications facility on any property where permitted in this Chapter, other than a General Industrial District, the applicant must prove by substantial evidence that it is not feasible to locate on a site in a General Industrial District. The applicant must demonstrate it has exhausted all reasonable efforts to locate on a site in a General Industrial District prior to being approved in any other District permitted in this Chapter.
(Ord. 2002-29. Passed 1-6-03.)
Loading...