Article XXIV Wireless Telecommunications Facilities

Approval. If, based on his or her review of the application, and the advice and recommendations received from the Telecommunications Consultant, as applicable, the Zoning Officer concludes that the application proposes an eligible facilities request, the Zoning Officer shall approve the application.

§ 150-24.5 Eligible support structure modification request (with substantial change).

Disapproval. If, based on his or her review of the application, and the advice of the Planning Board and the Telecommunications Consultant, the Zoning Officer concludes that the application does not propose an eligible facilities request, and involves a substantial change to the existing eligible support structure or wireless telecommunications facility, then the Zoning Officer must deny the application and refer the applicant to the applicable provisions of this article pertaining to modifications to existing eligible support structures that are not an eligible facilities request and which involve a substantial change to the existing facility.

Deadline for final decision. The Zoning Officer shall issue a written final decision on the application no less than 60 days following the date the application was initially received by the Zoning Officer. The decision may be issued via mail, email, overnight delivery, or hand delivery. The deadline for decision may be tolled or waived only upon the applicant's written consent; and once given, such consent may be withdrawn by the applicant at any time upon written notice to the Zoning Officer, provided that any such withdrawal, if given less than 10 days prior to the deadline expiration date, must allow the Zoning Officer at least 10 days to decide the application following the Zoning Officer's receipt of the consent withdrawal.

Deemed approved. Failure to decide an application within the sixty-day decision deadline or any extension thereof will constitute an automatic approval of the application as filed.

Form of final decision. The Zoning Officer shall memorialize his or her final decision by written approval or denial of the zoning permit application. The approval or denial must include a list of the plans and documents that comprised the application, with references to the dates, titles, and other descriptive features of those plans and documents.

A request to modify a wireless telecommunications facility that substantially alters the existing dimensions shall comply with the following:

Reviewing authority. The Township Planning Board is the reviewing authority for modifications to eligible support structures that involve substantial change.

Fees and review escrow deposits. Applicants for modifications to eligible support structures that involve substantial change must pay fees and review escrow deposits applicable for site plan review or waiver and all requested variances (and subdivision, if applicable), as well as the application fee and initial review escrow deposit specified for eligible support structure modification with substantial change. All fees and review escrow deposits must be paid to the Planning Board Secretary when the application is filed.

Application. An application for a modification to an eligible support structure involving substantial change must include all completed application forms for site plan review or waiver and all requested variances and may also include any other documentation reasonably necessary for the Planning Board to render a decision.

Filing. Applications for modification to an eligible support structure involving substantial change must be filed with the Planning Board according to the Planning Board's requirements for all development applications involving site plan review or waiver and variances.

Federal laws. When reviewing a modification to an eligible support structure involving substantial change, the Planning Board Planner will apply as appropriate the applicable provisions of 47 U.S.C. § 332(c)(7) of the Communications Act of 1996; 47 U.S.C. § 1455 of the Spectrum Act; Federal Communications Commission Declaratory Ruling under WT Docket No. 08-165, adopted November 18, 2009; Federal Communications Commission Report and Order under WT Docket Nos. 13-238 and 13-32, and WC Docket No. 11-59, adopted October 17, 2014; and any subsequent applicable statutory or regulatory enactments; agency rulings or reports; and court opinions.

Compliance review. The Telecommunications Consultant will provide a compliance review of the application pursuant to § 150-24.9 herein.

Development standards. When reviewing an application, the Planning Board shall consider whether said application is in compliance with the applicable § 150-24.11, Development standards, and § 150-24.12, Site design standards, applicable to all facilities, and shall make reasonable compliance with same a condition of approval.

Completeness review and deadline. Completeness review of applications under this article will be conducted by the Planning Board Attorney in consultation with the Planning Board Engineer, the Planning Board Secretary and the Telecommunications Consultant, as required. The deadline for completeness review, which is based on federal laws and regulations as opposed to the New Jersey Municipal Land Use Law, is 30 days. If the Planning Board Attorney notifies the applicant of completeness deficiencies in writing within the thirty-day period, the deadline is tolled, but not reset. Subsequent incompleteness determinations must be issued in writing within 10 days following any subsequent submission. Unless certified complete or incomplete by the Planning Board Attorney within the thirty-day period from filing (or within the ten-day period from a subsequent submission), the application will be deemed complete upon expiration of the thirty-day period from filing (or upon expiration of the ten-day period from subsequent submission). The completeness deadline may be tolled or waived only upon the applicant's written consent; and once given, such consent may be withdrawn at any time by the applicant upon written notice to the Planning Board Attorney.

Scheduling of hearing. Immediately following a certification or deeming of completeness of a request to modify an eligible support structure involving substantial change, the Planning Board Attorney shall confer with the applicant's attorney or other authorized representative and the Planning Board Secretary to schedule the application hearing for a mutually acceptable hearing date, provided that the hearing date shall be no later than 90 days following the application's initial filing date. Notice of the hearing shall be mailed and published by the applicant as required by the New Jersey Municipal Land Use Law.

Deadline for decision. The Planning Board must render its decision on a request to modify an eligible support structure involving substantial change no later than 90 days following the application's initial filing date. If the Planning Board believes that the applicant has provided insufficient information for approval of the application, and if the applicant will not provide the additional information and/or extend the ninety-day decision deadline as necessary for the Planning Board to continue its review, the Planning Board must deny the application within the ninety-day decision deadline. The deadline for decision may be tolled or waived only upon the applicant's written consent; and once given, such consent may be withdrawn by the applicant at any time upon written notice to the Planning Board Attorney, provided that any such withdrawal, if given less than 35 days prior to the decision deadline, must grant an extension of the decision deadline as necessary to allow the Planning Board to schedule the hearing for the next regular Planning Board meeting, with adequate time for the applicant to mail and publish notice as required by the New Jersey Municipal Land Use Law.

Deemed approved. Failure to decide the application within the decision deadline or any extension thereof will constitute an automatic approval of the application as filed.

Form of decision. The Planning Board shall memorialize the decision by written resolution as required by, and within the time period specified by, N.J.S.A. 40:55D-10(g).

§ 150-24.6 New wireless telecommunications facilities, including new towers.

New telecommunications facilities and towers shall comply with the following:

Reviewing authority. The Township Planning Board is the reviewing authority for all applications for the construction or installation of wireless telecommunications facilities, as defined herein, that are not eligible facilities requests, and which do not involve an eligible support structure, including any request for modification of an unlawfully existing wireless telecommunications tower or unlawfully existing base station or the wireless telecommunications facilities located thereon, or any request for installation of a wireless telecommunications facility at a proposed base station, as defined herein, or the installation of a new wireless telecommunications facility at a previously unutilized location.

Term defined. For purposes of this article, such applications will be referred to generally as "wireless telecommunications facility siting applications."

Fees and review escrow deposits. Applicants for wireless telecommunications facility siting applications must pay fees and review escrow deposits applicable for site plan review or waiver and all requested variances (and subdivision, if applicable), as well as the fee and initial review escrow deposit specified for a wireless telecommunications facility siting application. All fees and review escrow deposits must be paid to the Planning Board Secretary when the application is filed.

Application. A wireless telecommunications facility siting application must include all completed application forms for site plan review or waiver and all requested variances (and subdivision, if applicable).

Filing. Wireless telecommunications facility siting applications must be filed with the Planning Board according to the Planning Board's requirements for all development applications involving site plan review or waiver and variances (and subdivision, if applicable).

Federal laws. When reviewing a wireless telecommunications facility siting application, the Planning Board Attorney will utilize, as applicable, the relevant provisions of 47 U.S.C. § 332(c)(7) of the Communications Act of 1996; 47 U.S.C. § 1455 of the Spectrum Act; Federal Communications Commission Declaratory Ruling under WT Docket No. 08-165, adopted November 18, 2009; Federal Communications Commission Report and Order under WT Docket Nos. 13-238 and 13-32, and WC Docket No. 11-59, adopted October 17, 2014; and any subsequent applicable statutory or regulatory enactments; agency rulings or reports; and court opinions.

Compliance review. The Telecommunications Consultant will provide a compliance review of the application pursuant to § 150-24.9 herein.

Siting and development standards. When reviewing a wireless telecommunications facility siting application, the Planning Board shall consider whether said application is in compliance with the applicable § 150-24.10, Location preference, § 150-24.11, Development standards, and § 150-24.12, Site design standards applicable to all facilities, and shall make reasonable compliance with same a condition of approval.

Completeness review and deadline. Completeness review of applications for wireless telecommunications facilities siting will be conducted by the Planning Board Attorney in consultation with the Planning Board Engineer, the Planning Board Planner, and the Planning Board Secretary. The deadline for completeness review, which is based on federal laws and regulations rather than the New Jersey Municipal Land Use Law, is 30 days. If the Planning Board Attorney notifies the applicant of completeness deficiencies in writing within the thirty-day period, the deadline is tolled, but not reset. Subsequent incompleteness determinations must be issued in writing within 10 days following any subsequent submission. Unless certified complete or incomplete by the Planning Board Attorney within the thirty-day period from filing (or within the ten-day period from a subsequent submission), the application will be deemed complete upon expiration of the thirty-day period from filing (or upon expiration of the ten-day period from subsequent submission). The completeness deadline may be tolled or waived only upon the applicant's written consent; and once given, such consent may be withdrawn at any time by the applicant upon written notice to the Planning Board Attorney.

Scheduling of hearing. Immediately following a certification or deeming of completeness of a wireless telecommunications facility siting application, the Planning Board Attorney shall confer with the applicant's attorney or other authorized representative and the Planning Board Secretary to schedule the application hearing for a mutually acceptable hearing date, provided that the hearing date must be no later than 150 days following the application's initial filing date, or no later than 120 days following a certification or deeming of completeness pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:55D-10.3, whichever is earlier. Notice of the hearing must be mailed and published by the applicant as required by the New Jersey Municipal Land Use Law.

Deadline for decision. The Planning Board shall render its decision on a wireless telecommunications facility siting application no later than 150 days following the application's initial filing date, or no later than 120 days following a certification or deeming of completeness pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:55D-10.3, whichever is earlier. If the Planning Board believes that the applicant has provided insufficient information for approval of the application, and if the applicant will not provide the additional information and/or extend the 150- or 120-day decision deadline as necessary for the Planning Board to continue its review, the Planning Board must deny the application within the 150- or 120-day decision deadline. The deadline for decision may be tolled or waived only upon the applicant's written consent; and once given, such consent may be withdrawn by the applicant at any time upon written notice to the Planning Board Attorney, provided that any such withdrawal, if given less than 35 days prior to the decision deadline, must grant an extension of the decision deadline as necessary to allow the Planning Board to schedule the hearing for the next regular Planning Board meeting, with adequate time for the applicant to mail and publish notice as required by the New Jersey Municipal Land Use Law. Failure to decide the application within the decision deadline or any extension thereof will constitute an automatic approval of the application as filed.

Form of decision. The Planning Board shall memorialize the decision by written resolution as required by, and within the time period specified by N.J.S.A. 40:55D-10(g).

§ 150-24.7 Action on applications for wireless telecommunications facilities.

Review of applications for eligible facilities requests. The Township shall review the application in light of its conformity with applicable provisions of this article, and shall issue a zoning permit on nondiscriminatory terms and conditions, subject to the following requirements:

The Township shall act consistent with the following shot clock dates:

Review of an application to co-locate a small wireless facility, as the term is defined in the Township Code, using an existing structure: 60 days.

Review of an application to co-locate a facility other than a small wireless facility using an existing structure: 90 days.

Review of an application to deploy a small wireless facility using a new structure: 90 days.

(d)

Review of an application to deploy a facility other than a small wireless facility using a new structure: 150 days.

Commencement of shot clock. The shot clock time frames referenced above begin upon submission by the applicant of required documentation for the first procedural step in the approval process, or when the applicant submits sufficient documentation to demonstrate compliance with Section 6409(a) of the Spectrum Act,[1] whichever comes first.

For an eligible facilities request with no substantial change, the shot clock commences upon submission of all documentation required for a zoning permit application.

For request to modify an eligible support structure that involves substantial change, the shot clock commences upon submission of all documentation required for site plan approval, and any variances that may be required.

For an application to install new wireless telecommunications facilities that is not an eligible facilities request or a modification of an eligible support structure, the shot clock commences upon submission of the required site plan and variance documentation required by the Planning Board, and which may vary based upon the zoning district in which the facility is proposed.

(4)

The shot clock commences for all three instances upon application submission and not upon a determination of application completeness by the Township.

[1]

Editor's Note: See 47 U.S.C. § 1455(a).

Tolling period: Unless a written agreement between the applicant and the Township provides otherwise, the tolling period for an application (if any) is as set forth in Subsection C(1) through (3) of this article:

For an initial application to deploy Small Wireless Facilities, if the Township notifies the applicant on or before the 10th day after submission that the application is materially incomplete, and clearly and specifically identifies the missing documents or information and the specific rule or regulation creating the obligation to submit such documents or information, the shot clock date calculation shall restart at zero on the date on which the applicant submits all the documents and information identified by the Township to render the application complete.

For all other initial applications, the tolling period shall be the number of days from:

The day after the date when the Township notifies the applicant in writing that the application is materially incomplete and clearly and specifically identifies the missing documents or information that the applicant must submit to render the application complete and the specific rule or regulation creating this obligation; until.

The date when the applicant submits all the documents and information identified by the siting authority to render the application complete;

But only if the notice pursuant to the applicable section of this article is effectuated on or before the 30th day after the date when the application was submitted; or

For resubmitted applications following a notice of deficiency, the tolling period shall be the number of days from:

The day after the date when the Township notifies the applicant in writing that the applicant's supplemental submission was not sufficient to render the application complete and clearly and specifically identifies the missing documents or information that need to be submitted based on the Township's original request under the applicable section of this article; until

The date when the applicant submits all the documents and information identified by the Township to render the application complete;

§ 150-24.8 Eligible facilities request.

But only if the notice pursuant to the applicable section of this article is effectuated on or before the 10th day after the date when the applicant

The term "eligible facilities request" shall have the following definition:

A request for a modification, as set forth in this § 150-24.8, of a lawfully existing wireless telecommunications tower or lawfully existing base station that does not substantially change the physical dimensions of such tower or base station as set forth in Subsection D herein, if approved by the Township Zoning Officer, pursuant to the procedures set forth herein.

Any eligible facilities request for modification of an unlawfully existing wireless telecommunications tower or an unlawfully existing base station, or for modification of a lawfully existing wireless telecommunications tower or lawfully existing base station that does substantially change the physical dimensions of such tower or base station as set forth in this § 150-24.8 herein, is prohibited. See §§ 150-24.5 and 150-24.6 herein for procedures applicable to applications for wireless telecommunications facilities which are not eligible facilities requests.

An eligible facilities request is any request does not involve a substantial change to an eligible support structure and involves the following:

Co-location of new wireless transmission equipment;

Removal of wireless transmission equipment; or

Replacement of wireless transmission equipment.

A substantial change to the physical dimensions of an existing tower or base station is any change meeting the following criteria as measured against the dimensions of the tower or base station as of the date of its initial construction or as of February 21, 2012, whichever is later.

Increase in height. An increase in the height of an existing tower or an existing base station constitutes a substantial change:

For towers, if the increase in height is more than 10% or by the height of one additional antenna array with separation from the nearest existing antenna not to exceed 20 feet, whichever is greater, with the twenty-foot separation between the proposed antenna array and nearest existing antenna to mean the distance from the top of the highest existing antenna on the tower to the bottom of the proposed new antenna to be deployed above it; and

For base stations, if the increase in height is more than 10% of the height of the eligible support structure or 10 feet, whichever is greater.

Increase in width. An increase in the width of an existing tower or an existing base station constitutes a substantial change:

If the increase would extend or protrude from the edge of the tower more than 20 feet, or more than the width of the tower as measured at the level of the increase, whichever is greater; and

If the increase would extend or protrude from the edge of an existing base station by more than six feet.

Increase in equipment cabinets. The addition of equipment cabinets constitutes a substantial change if it involves one or more of the following:

Installation of ground cabinets that are more than 10% larger than existing cabinets at the facility.

Installation of more than the standard number of new equipment cabinets for the technology involved, or more than four cabinets, whichever is less.

Each separate application request constitutes a separate determination of the number of cabinets and the expansion of size beyond the existing facility, and is not factored as part of a cumulative total which applies to all applications for development.

(4)

Excavation or deployment outside of current site: Excavation or deployment of equipment outside the current site of an existing tower or existing base station constitutes a substantial change when required for a proposed co-location, if such excavation or deployment of equipment increases the square footage of the equipment compound to an area greater than 2,500 square feet, pursuant to the standards established in the New Jersey Collocation Law, with "site" referring to, for towers, the leased or owned property surrounding the tower and any access or utility easements which serve the site, and to other supporting structures as the area in proximity to the structure and to equipment already deployed on the ground, except that modification of an existing site that entails ground excavation or deployment of transmission equipment up to 30 feet in any direction outside a tower's site constitutes an eligible facilities request that is not a substantial change. With "site" referring to the current boundaries of a facility that existed as of the date of the original support structure or a modification to that structure that was last reviewed and approved by the Township, if the approval or modification occurred prior to the Spectrum Act or outside of the Section 6409(a) process.[1]

[1]

Editor's Note: See 47 U.S.C. § 1455(a).

(5)

Defeat of existing concealment elements: If the existing concealment elements of an existing tower or existing base station would be defeated by a proposed co-location, as determined by a reasonable person viewing the structure and its intended concealment design as no longer effective after the co-location, the proposed co-location constitutes a substantial change.

(6)

Failure to comply with prior conditions: A substantial change occurs if the proposed co-location fails to comply with conditions associated with the prior approval of the existing tower or existing base station, unless such noncompliance is due to an increase in height, an increase in width, an addition of cabinets, or a new excavation or deployment of equipment that does not exceed the corresponding substantial change thresholds set forth above.

§ 150-24.9 Fees.

The application fees shall be as follows:

Eligible facilities request with no substantial change: $300.

Modification to an eligible support structure that involves a substantial change: Shall be pursuant to the Township land development fee schedules for minor site plan review and conditional use approval before the Planning Board, with the added provision that any such development review by the Planning Board shall be accompanied by a compliance review by the Township Telecommunications Consultant at a rate of $350/hour, not to exceed the reasonable amount of time necessary to review an application commensurate with its complexity and unique characteristics.

New wireless telecommunications facilities. Shall be pursuant to the Township land development fee schedules for major site plan review and conditional use approval. With the added provision that any such development review by the Planning Board shall be accompanied by a compliance review by the Township Telecommunications Consultant at a rate of $350/hour, not to exceed the reasonable amount of time necessary to review an application commensurate with its complexity and unique characteristics.

Telecommunications Consultant review applicable to all applications, including eligible facilities requests with no substantial change, to ensure compliance with the following:

The provisions of this article;

Provision of a determination to the Zoning Officer as to whether an application constitutes an eligible facilities request;

§ 150-24.12.1 Site design standards applicable to all facilities.

Additional applicable land use regulations of the Township;

(4)

Applicable state and federal laws and regulations;

(5)

Applicable federal laws and regulations; and

(6)

Fee: $350/hour, not to exceed the reasonable amount of time needed to review and make a determination based on the complexity of each specific application.

§ 150-24.10 Location preference.

If required for the provision of wireless communications service within the Township, new wireless telecommunications facilities shall be permitted as a conditional use requiring site plan approval at the following prioritized locations:

The first priority location shall be lands or structures owned by the Township.

The second priority location shall be co-location on existing Wireless Telecommunications Facility towers (or existing water tanks), provided that the new installation does not increase the height by more than 10%.

The third priority shall be in commercial, business and industrial districts.

The fourth priority location shall be other locations in the Township as the applicant demonstrates that such locations are essential to provide required service to Township residents.

Commercial, business and industrial districts shall be prioritized over residential areas and undeveloped space and historical or environmentally sensitive districts.

Locations distant from residential, undeveloped and historically or environmentally sensitive areas shall be favored over locations closer to said areas. Applicant will exhaust options further from such areas before utilizing locations closer to or within said areas.

It is the intention of this article that the installation, modification, maintenance and operation of wireless telecommunications facilities is prohibited on or within open space. For purposes of this article, "open space" shall be defined as any parcel or area of land or water essentially unimproved and set aside, dedicated, designated or reserved for public or private use or enjoyment or for the use and enjoyment of owners and occupants of land adjoining or neighboring such open space, provided that such areas may be improved with only those buildings, structures, streets and off-street parking and other improvements that are designed to be incidental to the natural openness of the land.

Except as specified in Subsection G above, no zoning or other established land use district shall outright prohibit wireless telecommunications facilities and in no district are same a permitted use requiring only ministerial construction permits.

In the event of a conflict between district zoning regulations and the regulations of this article, the regulations of this article shall control.

As a condition of approval, applicants shall first exhaust options in preferred locations before considering less preferred locations, and shall provide reasonable evidence of same to the Planning Board, upon request.

§ 150-24.11 Development standards.

To the extent possible while remaining compliant with federal laws and regulations, applications to install wireless telecommunications facilities or modify same shall comply with the following development standards:

Height standards. Where permitted, wireless telecommunications facilities may exceed the maximum building height limitations of the applicable zoning district, provided the height has the least visual impact and is not greater than required to achieve service area requirements and potential co-location, when visually appropriate. Wireless telecommunications facilities equipment compounds, shelters and platforms are limited to 12 feet in height. A maximum height of 60 feet is permitted for new wireless telecommunications towers. A maximum height of 10 feet above the height of an existing structure is permitted for new base stations.

Setback standards. All wireless telecommunications facilities shall be subject to the minimum yard requirements of the zoning district in which they are located, provided the minimum setback may be increased where necessary to address safety concerns including, but not limited to, the fall radius of a freestanding tower or monopole. If wireless telecommunications facilities are located on the roof of a building, the area of the equipment cabinets, shelters and other equipment and structures shall not occupy more than 25% of the roof area. The location on the roof for same shall be determined on a case-by-case basis and shall be decided based on the rooftop location which causes the least visual effect on the surrounding streetscape and community, while adhering to rooftop structural and safety standards and limitations.

Visual impact. All wireless telecommunications facilities shall be located to minimize visual impacts on the surrounding area. When considering visual impact of roughly equal degree in comparative locations, locations in a higher priority category shall be deemed more acceptable than lower priority sites.

Applicants must demonstrate that the proposed wireless telecommunications facility location provides the least visual impact on residential areas and public ways. All potential visual impacts must be analyzed to illustrate the selected site provides the best opportunity to minimize the visual impact of the proposed facility.

Wireless telecommunications facilities should be located to avoid being visually solitary or prominent when viewed from residential areas and the public way. The facility should be obscured by vegetation, tree cover, topographic features and/or other structures to the maximum extent feasible.

Wireless telecommunications facilities shall be placed to ensure that historically significant viewscapes, streetscapes and landscapes are protected. The views of and vistas from architecturally and/or significant structures should not be impaired or diminished by the placement of telecommunications facilities.

As a condition of approval, applicants shall include with any submission evidence of compliance with these development standards.

The following design standards shall apply to wireless telecommunications facilities installed, altered or modified pursuant to the terms of this article:

Fencing and other safety devices. Wireless telecommunications facilities shall be surrounded by a security feature such as a fence, including ground-level equipment appurtenant to a building-mounted antenna installation. All towers shall be designed with anticlimbing devices in order to prevent unauthorized access. All fences, cabinets, and equipment shelters must remain securely locked. Additional safety devices shall be permitted or required, as needed, and as approved by the Township.

Landscaping. Landscaping shall be provided along the perimeter of the security fence to provide a visual screen or buffer for adjoining private properties and the public right-of-way. Required front yard setback areas shall be landscaped. All facilities shall be screened by an evergreen hedge eight to 10 feet in height at planting time and/or a solid fence eight feet in height.

Signs. Signs shall not be permitted except for signs displaying owner contact information, warnings, equipment information and safety instructions. Such signs shall not exceed two square feet in area. No commercial advertising shall be permitted on any wireless telecommunications facility.

Color. The color of a facility shall be of a color appropriate to the tower's locational context and to make it as unobtrusive as possible, unless otherwise required by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Activity and access. All equipment shall be designed and automated to the greatest extent possible in order to reduce the need for on-site maintenance and thereby to minimize the need for vehicular trips to and from the site, access shall be from established site access points whenever possible. Minimal off-street parking shall be permitted as needed and as approved by the Township.

Dish antennas. Dish antennas shall be colored, camouflaged or screened to make them as unobtrusive as possible, and in no case shall the diameter of a dish antenna exceed six feet.

Lighting. No lighting is permitted except as follows:

Wireless telecommunications facilities compounds and shelters enclosing electronic equipment may have security and safety lighting at the entrance, provided that the light is attached to the facility, is focused downward and is on timing devices and/or sensors so that the light is turned off when not needed for safety or security purposes; and

No lighting is permitted on a tower or other supporting structure except lighting that specifically is required by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and any such required lighting shall be focused and shielded to the greatest extent possible so as not to project towards adjacent and nearby properties.

§ 150-24.12.2 Site design standards applicable to facilities located on buildings and rooftops.

Indicator lights on cabinets and other equipment shall not be visible from public view.

Monopole. Any proposed new telecommunications tower shall be a monopole unless the applicant can demonstrate that a different type pole is necessary for the co-location of additional antennas on the tower. Such towers may employ camouflage technology. The use of concealment type poles is encouraged.

Noise. No equipment shall be operated so as to produce noise in excess of the limits set by the local ordinances pertaining to noise levels, nuisances and property maintenance, except for in emergency situations requiring the use of a backup generator. The routine cycling and maintenance of any backup generator shall comply with these noise standards.

Radio frequency emissions. The TCA gives the FCC sole jurisdiction of the field of regulation of radio frequency (RF) emission, and wireless telecommunications facilities which meet the FCC standards shall not be conditioned or denied on the basis of RF impacts. Applicants shall provide current FCC information concerning wireless communications facilities and radio frequency emission standards. Applicants shall be required to provide information on the projected power density of the proposed facility and demonstrate how this meets the FCC standards.

Structural integrity. Wireless telecommunications facilities must be constructed to the Electronic Industries Association/Telecommunications Industries Association (EIA/TIA) 222 Revision H Standard, entitled "Structural Standards for Steel Antenna Towers and Antenna Supporting Structures," (or equivalent), as it may be updated or amended.

Unused facilities. Unused cabinets, cabling, antennas, and mounting hardware shall be removed within six months of discontinuance of use, unless the user has a bona fide intention to resume use within 12 months of such discontinuance.

Compliance. To the extent possible, as a condition of approval, applicants shall include with any submission evidence of compliance with these site design standards.

The following design standards shall apply to wireless telecommunications facilities mounted on buildings and rooftops and which are installed, altered or modified pursuant to the terms of this article:

Antennas shall be screened or hidden from the public view by the following methods:

Designed as architectural elements, screened with enclosures, paint, or wrapping.

Screening materials shall consist of materials and colors consistent with the surrounding backdrop and/or textured to match the existing structure.