The Telecommunications Act of 1996 affirmed the Village of Holley's
authority concerning the placement, construction and modification
of wireless telecommunications facilities. The Village of Holley finds
that wireless telecommunications facilities may pose significant concerns
to the health, safety, public welfare, character and environment of
the Village and its inhabitants. The Village also recognizes that
facilitating the development of wireless service technology can be
an economic development asset to the Village and of significant benefit
to the Village and its residents. In order to ensure that the placement,
construction or modification of wireless telecommunications facilities
is consistent with the Village's land use policies, the Village
is adopting a single, comprehensive, wireless telecommunications facilities
application and permit process. The intent of this chapter is to minimize
the impact of wireless telecommunications facilities, establish a
fair and efficient process for review and approval of applications,
assure an integrated, comprehensive review of environmental impacts
of such facilities, and protect the health, safety and welfare of
the Village of Holley.
This chapter shall be known and cited as the "Wireless Telecommunications
Facilities Siting Law for the Village of Holley."
For purposes of this chapter, and where not inconsistent with
the context of a particular section, the defined terms, phrases, words,
abbreviations, and their derivations shall have the meanings given
in this section. When not inconsistent with the context, words in
the present tense include the future tense, words used in the plural
number include words in the singular number, and words in the singular
number include the plural number. The word "shall" is always mandatory
and not merely directory.
ACCESSORY FACILITY OR STRUCTURE
An accessory facility or structure serving or being used
in conjunction with wireless telecommunications facilities, and located
on the same property or lot as the wireless telecommunications facilities,
including, but not limited to, utility or transmission equipment,
storage sheds or cabinets.
ANTENNA
A system of electrical conductors that transmit or receive
electromagnetic waves or radio frequency or other wireless signals.
APPLICANT
Any wireless service provider submitting an application for
a special use permit for wireless telecommunications facilities.
APPLICATION
All necessary and appropriate documentation that an applicant
submits in order to receive a special use permit for wireless telecommunications
facilities.
BOARD
The Village of Holley Board of Trustees.
CO-LOCATION
The use of an existing tower or structure to support antennas
for the provision of wireless services. A replacement tower that is
constructed on the same site as an existing tower will be considered
a co-location as long as the new tower is no taller than the old tower
and the old tower is removed in a reasonably short time frame after
the new tower is constructed.
COMMERCIAL IMPRACTICABILITY or COMMERCIALLY IMPRACTICABLE
The inability to perform an act on terms that are reasonable
in commerce, the cause or occurrence of which could not have been
reasonably anticipated or foreseen, and that jeopardizes the financial
efficacy of the project. The inability to achieve a satisfactory financial
return on investment or profit, standing alone, shall not deem a situation
to be "commercial impracticability" and shall not render an act or
the terms of an agreement "commercially impracticable."
COMPLETED APPLICATION
An application that contains all information and/or data
necessary to enable an informed decision to be made with respect to
an application.
DISTRIBUTED ANTENNA SYSTEM or DAS
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, or its duly designated
and authorized successor agency.
FCC
The Federal Communications Commission, or its duly designated
and authorized successor agency.
HEIGHT
When referring to a tower or structure, the distance measured
from the preexisting grade level to the highest point on the tower
or structure, even if said highest point is an antenna or lightning-protection
device.
MODIFICATION or MODIFY
The addition, removal or change of any of the physical and
visually discernible components or aspects of a wireless facility,
such as antennas, cabling, equipment shelters, landscaping, fencing,
utility feeds, changing the color or materials of any visually discernible
components, vehicular access, parking and/or an upgrade or change-out
of equipment for better or more-modern equipment. Adding a new wireless
carrier or service provider to a telecommunications tower or telecommunications
site as a co-location is a modification. A modification shall not
include the replacement of any components of a wireless facility where
the replacement is identical to the component being replaced or for
any matters that involve the normal repair and maintenance of a wireless
facility without adding, removing or changing anything.
NIER
Nonionizing electromagnetic radiation.
PERSON
Any individual, corporation, estate, trust, partnership,
joint-stock company, association of two or more persons having a joint
common interest, or any other entity.
REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE
The replacement of any components of a wireless facility
where the replacement is identical to the component being replaced
or for any matters that involve the normal repair and maintenance
of a wireless facility without the addition, removal or change of
any of the physical or visually discernible components or aspects
of a wireless facility that will add to the visible appearance of
the facility as originally permitted.
SPECIAL USE PERMIT
The official document or permit by which an applicant is
allowed to file for a building permit to construct and use wireless
telecommunications facilities as granted or issued by the Village.
STATE
The State of New York.
STEALTH or STEALTH TECHNOLOGY
To minimize adverse aesthetic and visual impacts on the land,
property, buildings, and other facilities adjacent to, surrounding,
and in generally the same area as the requested location of such wireless
telecommunications facilities, which shall mean using the least visually
and physically intrusive facility that is not technologically or commercially
impracticable under the facts and circumstances,
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
The transmission and/or reception of audio, video, data,
and other information by wire, radio frequency, light, and other electronic
or electromagnetic systems.
TELECOMMUNICATIONS STRUCTURE
A structure used in the provision of services described in
the definition of "wireless telecommunications facilities."
TEMPORARY
Temporary in relation to all aspects and components of this
chapter; something intended to or that does not exist for more than
90 days.
TOWER
Any structure designed primarily to support an antenna for
receiving and/or transmitting a wireless signal.
WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATIONS FACILITIES
Includes a telecommunications site and personal wireless
facility. It means a structure, facility or location designed, or
intended to be used as, or used to support antennas or other transmitting
or receiving devices. This includes, without limit, towers of all
types and kinds and structures, including, but not limited to, buildings,
church steeples, silos, water towers, signs or other structures that
can be used as a support structure for antennas or the functional
equivalent of such. It further includes all related facilities and
equipment such as cabling, equipment shelters and other structures
associated with the site. It is a structure and facility intended
for transmitting and/or receiving radio, television, cellular, SMR,
paging, 911, personal communications services (PCS), commercial satellite
services, microwave services and any commercial wireless telecommunication
service not licensed by the FCC.
In order to ensure that the placement, construction, and modification
of wireless telecommunications facilities protects the Village's
health, safety, public welfare, environmental features, the nature
and character of the community and neighborhood and other aspects
of the quality of life specifically listed elsewhere in this chapter,
the Village hereby adopts an overall policy with respect to a special
use permit for wireless telecommunications facilities for the express
purpose of achieving the following goals:
A. Requiring a special use permit for any new, co-location or modification
of a wireless telecommunications facility.
B. Implementing an application process for person(s) seeking a special
use permit for wireless telecommunications facilities.
C. Establishing a policy for examining an application for and issuing
a special use permit for wireless telecommunications facilities that
is both fair and consistent.
D. Promoting and encouraging, wherever possible, the sharing and/or
co-location of wireless telecommunications facilities among service
providers.
E. Promoting and encouraging, wherever possible, the placement, height
and quantity of wireless telecommunications facilities in such a manner,
including, but not limited to, the use of stealth technology, to minimize
adverse aesthetic and visual impacts on the land, property, buildings,
and other facilities adjacent to, surrounding, and in generally the
same area as the requested location of such wireless telecommunications
facilities, which shall mean using the least visually and physically
intrusive facility that is not technologically or commercially impracticable
under the facts and circumstances.
F. That, in granting a special use permit, the Village has found that
the facility shall be the most appropriate site as regards being the
least visually intrusive among those available in the Village.
The following shall be exempt from this chapter:
A. The Village's fire, police, Department of Transportation or
other public service facilities owned and operated by the local government.
B. Any facilities expressly exempt from the Village's siting, building
and permitting authority.
C. Over-the-air reception devices, including the reception antennas
for direct broadcast satellites (DBS), multichannel multipoint distribution
(wireless cable) providers (MMDS), television broadcast stations (TVBS)
and other customer-end antennas that receive and transmit fixed wireless
signals that are primarily used for reception.
D. Facilities exclusively for private, noncommercial radio and television
reception and private citizens bands, licensed amateur radio and other
similar noncommercial telecommunications.
E. Facilities used exclusively for providing unlicensed spread spectrum
technology, i.e., Bluetooth® or a "hot spot," where the facility
does not require a new tower, where the service is not to be used
for commercial purposes, where there is no fee or charge for the use
of the service and where the service is intended to be usable for
less than 200 feet.
All wireless telecommunications facilities and antennas shall
be located, fenced or otherwise secured in a manner that prevents
unauthorized access. Specifically:
A. All antennas, towers and other supporting structures, including guy
anchor points and wires, shall be made inaccessible to individuals
and constructed or shielded in such a manner that they cannot be climbed
or collided with; and
B. Transmitters and telecommunications control points shall be installed
in such a manner that they are readily accessible only to persons
authorized to operate or service them.
Wireless telecommunications facilities shall contain a sign
no larger than four square feet in order to provide adequate notification
to persons in the immediate area of the presence of RF radiation or
to control exposure to RF radiation within a given area. A sign of
the same size is also to be installed to contain the name(s) of the
owner(s) and operator(s) of the antenna(s) as well as emergency phone
number(s). The sign shall be on the equipment shelter or cabinet of
the applicant and be visible from the access point of the site and
must identify the equipment owner of the shelter or cabinet. On tower
sites, an FCC registration sign, as applicable, is also to be present.
The signs shall not be lighted, unless applicable law, rule or regulation
requires lighting. No other signage, including advertising, shall
be permitted.
All proposed towers and any other proposed wireless telecommunications
facility structures shall be set back from abutting parcels, recorded
rights-of-way and road and street lines by the greater of the following
distances: a distance equal to the height of the proposed tower or
wireless telecommunications facility structure plus 10% of the height
of the tower or structure, or the existing setback requirement of
the underlying zoning district, whichever is greater. Any accessory
structure shall be located so as to comply with the applicable minimum
setback requirements for the property on which it is situated.
The extent and parameters of a special use permit for wireless
telecommunications facilities shall be as follows:
A. Such special use permit shall not be assigned, transferred or conveyed
without the express prior written notification to the Village.
B. Such special use permit may, following a hearing upon due prior notice
to the applicant, be revoked, canceled, or terminated for a violation
of the conditions and provisions of the special use permit, or for
a material violation of this chapter, after prior written notice to
the holder of the special use permit.
At the time that a person submits an application for a special
use permit for a new tower, such person shall pay a nonrefundable
application fee of $5,000 to the Village. If the application is for
a special use permit for modifying or co-locating on an existing tower
or other suitable structure, where no increase in the height of the
tower or structure is required, or for a temporary facility, the nonrefundable
fee shall be $2,500.
The applicant and the owner of record of any proposed wireless
telecommunications facilities' property site shall, at its cost
and expense, be jointly required to execute and file with the Village
a bond, or other form of security acceptable to the Village as to
type of security and the form and manner of execution, in an amount
of at least $75,000 for a tower facility and $25,000 for a co-location
on an existing tower or other structure and with such sureties as
are deemed sufficient by the Village to assure the faithful performance
of the terms and conditions of this chapter and conditions of any
special use permit issued pursuant to this chapter. The full amount
of the bond or security shall remain in full force and effect throughout
the term of the special use permit and/or until any necessary site
restoration is completed to restore the site to a condition comparable
to that which existed prior to the issuance of the original special
use permit.
In order to verify that the holder of a special use permit for
wireless telecommunications facilities and any and all lessees, renters,
and/or licensees of wireless telecommunications facilities place and
construct such facilities, including towers and antennas, in accordance
with all applicable technical, safety, fire, building, and zoning
codes, laws and regulations and other applicable requirements, the
Village may inspect all facets of said permit holder's, renter's,
lessee's or licensee's placement, construction, modification
and maintenance of such facilities, including, but not limited to,
towers, antennas and buildings or other structures constructed or
located on the permitted site.
If a wireless telecommunications facility is repaired, rebuilt, placed, moved, relocated, modified or maintained in a way that is inconsistent or not in compliance with the provisions of this chapter or of the special use permit, then the Village shall notify the holder of the special use permit, in writing, of such violation. A permit holder in violation may be considered in default and subject to fines as in §
260-25; and if a violation is not corrected to the satisfaction of the Village in a reasonable period of time, the special use permit is subject to revocation.
Any applicant desiring relief, waiver or exemption from any
aspect or requirement of this chapter may request such, provided that
the relief or exemption is contained in the submitted application
for either a special use permit or, in the case of an existing or
previously granted special use permit, a request for modification
of its tower and/or facilities. Such relief may be temporary or permanent,
partial or complete. However, the burden of proving the need for the
requested relief, waiver or exemption is solely on the applicant to
prove. The applicant shall bear all costs of the Village in considering
the request and the relief, waiver or exemption. No such relief or
exemption shall be approved unless the applicant demonstrates by clear
and convincing evidence that, if granted, the relief, waiver or exemption
will have no significant effect on the health, safety and welfare
of the Village, its residents and other service providers.
Where this chapter differs or conflicts with other laws, rules
and regulations, unless the right to do so is preempted or prohibited
by the Village, state or federal government, this chapter shall apply.
This chapter is enacted pursuant to applicable authority granted
by the state and federal government.