This chapter shall be known as the "Village of Huntington Bay
Communication Tower Law."
The purpose of this chapter is to establish general guidelines
for the placement of communication towers and communication antennas
and to encourage the location of towers in areas that are least intrusive
to Village residents by configuring any such towers in a way that
minimizes the adverse visual impact of same through careful design,
landscape screening and innovative camouflaging techniques.
Communication towers and communication antennas shall not be
permitted in any Waterfront Preservation District, steep slope area
or lot which is less than two acres in size.
Communication towers and communication antennas may be permitted
in any nonprohibited area of the Village by the Board of Trustees
after a public hearing and issuance of a special use permit.
In granting a special use permit under this chapter the Board
of Trustees shall limit the towers and antennas to the minimum size
required to provide service as required by the Federal Communications
Commission standards.
Should a proposed communication tower or antenna fail to meet the requirements set forth in Chapter
91, the Zoning Code of the Village of Huntington Bay, an applicant must first apply to the Zoning Board of Appeals for any variances required and receive an approval before it may make application to the Board of Trustees for a special use permit. In considering an application under this section, a variance may be granted only if the Zoning Board makes specific findings that the location of the tower will not be detrimental to the health, safety and general welfare of the community and will not tend to negatively impact the property values in the area. The Zoning Board shall also consider the aesthetic impact of the proposal and may impose conditions to mitigate it and other impacts. The Zoning Board must utilize a two-prong approach when evaluating a communication service provider's application for a variance:
A. Has the provider demonstrated a need for its facilities?
B. Will the needs of the broader public be served by granting the variance?
[Amended 1-5-2012 by L.L. No. 2-2012]
In addition to making application for a special use permit, an applicant who seeks to construct and/or install a communication tower and/or antenna shall be subject to site plan review. The Board of Trustees of the Village of Huntington Bay shall consider the provisions set forth in Chapter
91, Article
III, §
91-11E, when reviewing a site plan for construction of a communication tower or antenna.
The Board may impose reasonable conditions to mitigate the impact
of the use on the surrounding area. However, the Board may not impose
any conditions which have the effect of prohibiting personal wireless
service.
In connection with an application under this section, the applicant
shall prepare, at a minimum, a long-form environmental assessment
statement under the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA)
rules and regulations. In the event that the Board determines that
a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) is required, it shall
so advise the applicant in accordance with SEQRA.
In the event that the applicant wishes to locate a tower or
antenna on property owned by the Village of Huntington Bay, this chapter
shall be inapplicable, and the tower or antenna may be erected on
said Village property in accordance with the contract which is entered
into and approved by the Board of Trustees.
If any part or provision of this chapter or the application
thereof to any person or circumstance be adjudged invalid by any court
of competent jurisdiction, such judgment shall be confined in its
operation to the part or provision or application directly involved
in the controversy in which such judgment shall have been rendered
and shall not affect or impair the validity of the remainder of this
chapter or the application thereof to other persons or circumstances,
and the Board of Trustees of the Incorporated Village of Huntington
Bay hereby declares that it would have passed this chapter or the
remainder thereof had such invalid application or invalid provision
been apparent.
This chapter shall take effect immediately upon filing in the
Office of the Secretary of State of New York.