(A) General. Shared use of “pre-existing towers” and “alternative tower structures” in a manner that camouflages or conceals the presence of antennas or towers, also referred by the industry as “stealth” in all zones is permitted with Planning Department’s approval; provided, the tower or structure height is not increased. The Planning Department may request Planning Commission review of any proposed citing of a tower or co-located antenna.
(B) Aesthetics, landscaping, buffers and fencing. Any buildings and related structures shall be planned in a manner to accept equipment of co-locators. Underground utilities shall be used to serve the communication towers.
(C) Investigation of existing alternative towers, sites and structures. Applicants shall identify all existing and proposed towers, and their heights, located in the city and within two miles beyond city boundaries. Applicants must provide evidence of the lack of antenna space on all such towers, and shall identify alternative tower structures and sites, which have been investigated as an alternative to constructing a new tower. Applicant shall address the pros and cons of utilizing co-location and other alternative tower structures with respect to their application and shall demonstrate that they cannot provide adequate communication service utilizing the existing towers or structures.
(D) Environment analysis. It is the responsibility of each applicant to investigate all potential environmental effects and disclose any significant effects on the environment to the city prior to constructing a tower. The applicant shall determine if its proposal will affect any of the listed categories following that may significantly affect the environment as required under §§ 1.1301 through 1.1319 of the Telecommunication Act of 1996 (or as amended). If it does, the applicant must provide an environmental assessment as required by federal law prior to proceeding with the tower construction:
(1) Wilderness area;
(2) Wildlife preserve;
(3) Endangered species;
(4) Historical site;
(5) Indian religious site;
(6) Floodplain;
(7) Wetlands;
(8) High intensity white lights in residential neighborhoods; and
(9) Excessive radio frequency radiation exposure.
(E) Co-location.
(1) The applicant and owner shall allow for future wireless service carriers that use functionally equivalent personal wireless technology to co-locate antennas, equipment and facilities on a telecommunications tower and site, including public agencies (including, but not limited to, police, fire, ambulance, communications and highway), unless satisfactory evidence is presented and the Planning Commission/Planning Department concurs that technical constraints prohibit co-location. All towers must be constructed to allow for the location of at least three antennas.
(2) Applicants shall provide a mechanism for the construction and maintenance of shared facilities and infrastructure and shall provide for reasonable sharing of cost in accordance with industry standards. (A reasonable charge for shared use is based on generally accepted accounting principles. This charge may include, but not be limited to, a pro rata share of the cost of site selection, planning, project administration, land costs, site design, construction and maintenance, financing, return of equity, depreciation and all of the costs of adapting the tower or equipment to accommodate a shared user without causing electromagnetic interference, all being pertinent to this area.)
(3) To ensure co-location, the Planning Commission/Planning Department may require co-location on a tower so as to prevent the need for new carriers to build new towers, may deny an application for a telecommunications facility because of inadequate provisions and/or arrangements for co-location and may require an existing tower to be extended in height (provided that, a structural analysis indicates that such extension is structurally feasible and safe) in order to provide for co-location.
(Prior Code, § 335.03) (Ord. passed 2-19-2008; Ord. passed 3-1-2011)