As used herein the following terms shall have the meanings provided:
ANTENNA or ANTENNAS Any exterior transmitting or receiving device mounted on a tower, building or structure and used in communications that radiate or capture electromagnetic waves, digital signals, analog signals, radio frequencies (excluding radar signals), wireless telecommunications signals, television signals, pagers and other communications signals. For the purposes of this article, "cellular antennas," as referred to in the 1996 Federal Telecommunications Act, shall not be deemed a public utility.
ANTENNA SUPPORT STRUCTURE A structure, other than a telecommunications tower, which is attached to a building or water tower and on which one or more antennas are located.
BUFFER AREA The area surrounding a telecommunications tower and ancillary facilities which lies between the tower and ancillary facilities and adjacent lot lines and or land uses.
CAMOUFLAGE TECHNIQUES Man-made trees, clock towers, bell steeples, flagpoles and similar alternative design mounting structures that conceal the presence of antennas or towers.
CARRIER A company that provides wireless service.
COLLOCATION A. When two or more receiving and/or transmitting facilities are placed together in the same location or on the same antenna support structure. The installation of new wireless facilities on previously approved structures, including towers, buildings, water tanks, and high transmission utility poles.
B. Use of a common WTS or a common site by two or more wireless license holders or by one wireless license holder for more than one type of communications technology and/or placement of a WTS on a structure owned or operated by a utility.
DISTRIBUTED ANTENNA SYSTEM (DAS) A distributed antenna system is a network of spatially separated antenna nodes connected to a common source via a transport medium that provides wireless service within a geographic area or structure.
FAA The Federal Aviation Administration.
FALL ZONE The area in which a wireless support structure may be expected to fall in the event of a structural failure, as measured by engineering standards.
FCC The Federal Communications Commission.
HEIGHT OF COMMUNICATIONS TOWER The vertical distance measured from the ground level to the highest point on a communications tower, including antennas mounted on the tower.
PREXISTING TOWERS and PREEXISTING ANTENNAS Any tower or antenna for which a building permit has been properly issued prior to the effective date of this article so long as such approval is current and not expired.
PUBLIC UTILITY TRANSMISSION TOWER A structure owned and operated by a public utility electric company regulated by the New Jersey Public Utility Commission, designed and used to support overhead electricity transmission lines.
SEARCH RING The area within which a wireless facility must be located in order to meet service objectives of the wireless service provider using the wireless facility or wireless support structure.
TELECOMMUNICATIONS MASTER PLAN The Telecommunications Master Plan and Report produced for the Township of Pennsauken by V-Comm, LLC, dated December 16, 2008, including modifications or supplements.
TELECOMMUNICATIONS TOWER ("TOWER") Any structure that is designed and constructed primarily for the purpose of supporting one or more antennas for telephone, radio and similar communications purpose, including self-supporting lattice towers, guy towers or monopole towers. The term includes radio and television transmission towers, microwave, common carrier towers, cellular telephone towers, alternative tower structures and the like.
WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS Any personal wireless services as defined in the FTA, which includes FCC-licensed commercial wireless telecommunications services, including cellular, personal communications services (PCS), specialized mobile radio (SMR), enhanced specialized mobile radio (ESMR), paging, and similar services that currently exist or that may in the future be developed. It does not include any amateur radio facility that is owned and operated by a federally licensed amateur radio station operation or is used exclusively for receive-only antennas, nor does it include noncellular telephone services.
WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATIONS STRUCTURE ("WTS") Facilities for the provision of wireless communications services, including, but not limited to, antennas, antenna support structures, telecommunications towers, and related facilities other than WTE. A vertical structure designed principally to elevate and support wireless telecommunications antennas, which is freestanding and is not attached to a building or structure.
WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT ("WTE") Accessory facilities serving and subordinate in area, extent and purpose to, and on the same lot or building roof-top as, a telecommunications tower or antenna location. Such facilities include, but are not limited to, transmission equipment, storage sheds, storage buildings, cabinets, and security fencing.
The specific goals of this article are:
A. To minimize the adverse visual effects of wireless communications facilities and support structures through proper design, siting and vegetation.
B. To encourage the location of antennas upon, or within, existing structures, including, but not limited to, multistory commercial or industrial buildings, telecommunications towers and existing water towers and high electric transmission towers.
C. To encourage the collocation of antennas on the fewest number of existing structures within the Township of Pennsauken.
D. To encourage the communications carriers to configure their facilities in a manner that minimizes and mitigates any adverse impacts upon affected properties, streetscapes and viewscapes through careful design, site location, landscape screening and innovative camouflaging techniques.
E. To encourage the use of alternative technologies which do not require the use of telecommunications towers or require telecommunications towers at relatively lesser heights.
F. To enhance the ability of the carriers of personal wireless communications services who adhere to the letter and intent of this article to provide such services quickly, effectively and efficiently.
G. To protect residential zones and residential uses from the potential adverse impact of wireless telecommunications towers and antennas.
H. To minimize the total number of wireless telecommunications towers throughout the community.
I. To accommodate the need for wireless communications facilities while regulating their location and number in the Township.
J. To encourage the joint use of support structures to reduce the number of such structures needed in the future.
K. To insure public health, safety, welfare and convenience.
The Township has determined that there are four areas where WTSs are clustered as set forth in the findings of fact. No new WTS shall be permitted within a distance of 1/4 mile of any WTS within an existing cluster.
In addition to its normal professional staff, given the technical and specialized nature of the testimony to be provided by the applicant's radio frequency expert(s), the Planning Board or Zoning Board of Adjustment may, at the applicant's sole cost and expense, hire its own radio frequency expert to review and comment on testimony presented by the applicant. The Planning Board, or Zoning Board of Adjustment, may employ experts with specialized areas of expertise if deemed necessary, the cost of which shall be at the applicant's expense.