This article establishes general regulations and design standards
for the location of wireless telecommunications towers and antennas.
The goals of this article are:
A. To avoid the incompatibility of towers and antennas with residential
uses by prohibiting the location and siting to towers and antennas
in the residential zones;
B. As a first priority, to locate antennas and towers on public open
space or parkland;
C. As a second priority, to locate antennas on existing towers, structures
and buildings rather than construct additional wireless telecommunications
towers;
D. As a third priority, to locate towers in a nonresidential zone;
E. To avoid potential damage to adjacent properties from tower failure
through proper engineering and careful siting of towers;
F. To encourage the collocation of antennas where technically feasible
on any tower constructed under this article; and
G. To prevent the construction, installation or placement of speculative
towers where there is no demonstrated need.
Whenever this article refers to any applicable law, rule, regulation
or standard, the most current law, rule, regulation or standard shall
govern.
ANTENNA
Any exterior transmitting or receiving device mounted on
a tower building or structure and used in communications that radiates
or captures electromagnetic waves, digital signals, analog signals,
radio frequencies, radar signals, telecommunications signals or other
communications signals.
DIAMETER AT POINT OF MEASUREMENT
The diameter of a tree measured 4 1/2 feet above the
ground level of trees to be surveyed in the field. On sloped terrain,
such measurement shall be made on the downhill side. Diameter at point
of measurement may appear in this article as the abbreviation "DPM."
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT (EIS)
For the purposes of this article, a report which shall evaluate
the existing conditions of the locations where the antenna, tower,
or equipment compound is proposed, the full impact of construction
on the existing conditions, terrestrial ecology, environmental setting
and cultural resources through the actions of grading, soil disturbance,
facility construction, site drainage, and other above- or below-ground
disturbances.
FACILITY
The construction, reconstruction, structural alteration,
or installation of, proposed by the applicant including, but not limited
to, the antennas, equipment compound, tower and access drives and
roads.
HEIGHT OF TOWER OR ANTENNA
The distance measured from the lowest finished grade of the
base of the tower or antenna to the highest point on the tower or
antenna, including the base pad and any antennas or equipment mounted
thereon.
PERSONAL WIRELESS SERVICES (PWS)
Any FCC-licensed operation which provides commercial wireless
communications either for hire as a common carrier on a private basis
to subscribers and which include, without limitation, personal communication
services (PCS), cellular, specialized mobile radio (SMR), enhanced
specialized mobile radio (ESMR) and paging.
STEALTH TOWER STRUCTURE
Simulated trees, clock towers, bell steeples; light poles
and similar alternative-design mounting structures such as stealth
antennas or flush-mounted antennas that camouflage, conceal or minimize
the presence of antennas or towers.
TOWER
Any structure that is designed and constructed primarily
for the purpose of supporting one or more antennas for telephone,
radio and similar wireless telecommunications purposes, including
self-supporting lattice towers or monopole towers. The term includes
the structure and its foundation, radio and television transmission
towers, microwave towers, cellular telephone towers, common-carrier
towers, alternative tower structures and the like.
VIEWSHED
A 1:100,000 scale depicting areas from which the tower, or
portions thereof, may be seen within a distance of eight miles from
the proposed structure in all directions.
Except where specifically allowed as an accessory use or permitted use as set forth in §
168-64 and
168-66 of this article, towers antennas are prohibited in all residential zones.
Antennas and towers shall be located and land use permissibility
determined in accordance with the following prioritized locations:
A. The first priority location shall be on public open space or parkland.
B. The second priority location shall be on an existing tower, building or structure as enumerated in §
168-64 of this article, provided that the new installation does not increase the height by more than 10 feet or 10% of the building or structure, whichever is less.
C. The third priority location shall be on land or structures in any
nonresidential zone.
Antennas installed on public open space and parkland with the
approval of the Borough of Riverdale are exempt from the requirements
of this chapter.
Where an applicant demonstrates in accordance with the requirement of §
168-68C(1)(e) of this article that it is not technically feasible or where reasonable arrangements cannot be made with the owner to install antennas first on an existing tower, building or structure as enumerated in §
168-64 of this article or on public open space or parkland in accordance with this article, then antennas and towers shall in next priority be a permitted use in all nonresidential zone districts of the Borough.
The applicant shall pay the site plan application fees as set
forth in this chapter.