(A)
Purpose and Intent. It is the purpose of these standards to encourage and facilitate a wide variety of communication services and providers to serve businesses and citizens within the City. The City desires to avoid adverse health or aesthetic impacts on the community resulting from the unregulated proliferation of communication/wireless telecommunications facilities throughout the City, and to ensure for the protection of the general health, safety, and welfare of the community and the integrity of public rights-of-way and assets. This Section is adopted to set forth the goals and policies of the City that will be used to regulate the approval, installation, and operation of major and minor wireless commercial communications services and facilities within the City. This Section is not intended to apply to satellite dish antennas or to wireless telecommunications facilities in the right-of-way, which are regulated in PMC Title 12 (Streets, Sidewalks, and Public Places).
(B) "Antenna" "Antenna, amateur radio" "Antenna/antenna structure" "Antenna/antenna structure height" "Antenna, compact horizontal" "Antenna, ground-mounted" "Antenna, horizontal" or "horizontal array" "Antenna, nested position" "Antenna, single element wire" "Antenna structure" "Antenna structure, retractable" "Antenna, vertical or whip" "Cellular" "Collocation" "COW" Communications/Wireless Telecommunications Facility. Communication/Wireless Telecommunications Facility, Major. Communication/Wireless Telecommunications Facility, Minor. "Eligible facilities request" "Macro cell tower site" "Modification" "Monopole" "Small wireless facility" "Stealth telecommunications facility" "Substantial modification"(a) (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (b) (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) (c) (i) (ii) (d) (i) (ii) "Telecommunications tower" "Transmission equipment" "Wireless telecommunications services"
Definitions. For the purposes of this Section, unless it is plainly evident from the context that a different meaning is intended, the following definitions shall apply:
shall mean that part of a communication facility designed to radiate or receive radio frequency signals.
shall mean any antenna that is used for the purpose of transmitting and receiving radio signals in conjunction with an amateur radio station licensed by the Federal Communications Commission. The term "amateur radio antenna" is interchangeable with the term "ham radio antenna."
shall mean collectively the antenna and its supporting structure, if any.
shall mean the distance from the highest point of the antenna/antenna structure to the natural grade at the point the structure touches, or, if extended, would touch the ground.
shall mean a horizontal antenna the longest dimension (boom or element) of which does not exceed 10 feet.
means mounted to a telecommunications tower.
shall mean an antenna with horizontally oriented radiating element(s) and/or boom other than a compact horizontal antenna.
shall mean the position in which a retractable antenna/antenna structure is fully retracted.
shall mean an antenna consisting of a single wire typically made of 14 or 12 gauge copper clad wire attached and suspended between supports.
shall mean the supporting mast, pole, or tower of one or more antenna(s).
shall mean an antenna structure that is designed to be adjusted in height in order to be extended while the antenna is in use but lowered in a retracted position when the antenna is not in use.
shall mean an antenna that extends vertically, directly up from its base or structural support.
shall mean an analog or digital wireless telecommunications technology that is based on a system of interconnected neighboring cell sites.
shall mean the mounting or installation of transmission equipment on an eligible support structure for the purpose of transmitting and/or receiving radio frequency signals for communication purposes.
shall mean a "cell on wheels," which is a communication facility temporarily rolled in or temporarily installed.
See PMC Chapter 17.16 (Definitions).
See PMC Chapter 17.16 (Definitions).
See PMC Chapter 17.16 (Definitions).
shall have the meaning stated in 47 U.S.C. Section 1455(a), as that statute may be amended or superseded, and means an existing wireless tower or base station that involves collocation of new transmission equipment or the replacement of transmission equipment that does not constitute a substantial modification.
shall have the meaning set forth in Government Code Section 65850.75 as it may be amended from time to time. As of the effective date of the ordinance codified in this Title, Subsection (a)(3) of that Section provides: "Macro cell tower site means the place where wireless telecommunications equipment and network components, including towers, transmitters, base stations, and emergency powers necessary for providing wide area outdoor service, are located. A macro cell tower site does not include rooftop, small cell, or outdoor and indoor distributed antenna system sites."
shall mean a change to an existing structure that involves any of the following: collocation, expansion, alteration, enlargement, intensification, reduction, or augmentation, including, but not limited to, changes in size, shape, color, visual design, or exterior material. "Modification" does not include repair, replacement, or maintenance if those actions do not involve a change to the existing structure.
shall mean a structure composed of a pole or tower used to support antennas or related equipment. A monopole also includes a monopine, monopalm, monoeucalyptus, monocactus, and similar monopoles camouflaged to resemble faux trees or other faux objects attached on a monopole (e.g., water tower).
shall have the meaning set forth in 47 C.F.R. Section 1.6002(l), as that regulation may be amended or superseded.
shall mean a telecommunications facility as defined in this Section which by its size, location, design, or combination of such measures, causes the facility to be aesthetically integrated into the surrounding environment so as not to readily be seen or recognized.
has the same meaning as provided in 47 C.F.R. Section 1.40001(b)(7), as may be amended, which defines that term differently based on the particular facility type and location. For clarity, the definition in this Section organizes the FCC's criteria and thresholds for a substantial change according to the facility type and location.
For towers outside the public rights-of-way, a substantial change occurs when:
The proposed collocation or modification increases the overall height more than 10 percent or the height of one additional antenna array not to exceed 20 feet (whichever is greater);
The proposed collocation or modification increases the width more than 20 feet from the edge of the wireless tower or the width of the wireless tower at the level of the appurtenance (whichever is greater);
The proposed collocation or modification involves the installation of more than the standard number of equipment cabinets for the technology involved, not to exceed four; or
The proposed collocation or modification involves excavation outside the current boundaries of the leased or owned property surrounding the wireless tower, including any access or utility easements currently related to the site.
For towers in the public rights-of-way and for all base stations, a substantial change occurs when:
The proposed collocation or modification increases that overall height more than 10 percent or 10 feet (whichever is greater);
The proposed collocation or modification increases the width more than six feet from the edge of the wireless tower or base station;
The proposed collocation or modification involves the installation of any new equipment cabinets on the ground when there are no existing ground-mounted equipment cabinets;
The proposed collocation or modification involves the installation of any new ground-mounted equipment cabinets that are 10 percent larger in height or volume than any existing ground-mounted cabinets;
The proposed collocation or modification involves excavation outside the area in proximity to the structure and other transmission equipment already deployed on the ground.
In addition, for all towers and base stations wherever located, a substantial change occurs when:
The proposed collocation or modification would defeat the existing concealment elements of the support structure as determined by the City; or
The proposed collocation or modification violates a prior condition of approval as regards to height, width, number and size of equipment cabinets or any excavation that is inconsistent with the thresholds for a substantial change described in this Section.
As to all measurements set forth herein, the following principles shall govern:
Any threshold or limit of height increases are cumulative or collective; or
For sites with horizontally separated deployments, the cumulative limit is measured from the originally permitted support structure without regard to any increases in size due to wireless equipment not included in the original design. For sites with vertically separated deployments, the cumulative limit is measured from the permitted site dimensions as they existed on February 22, 2012, the date of passage of the Middle-Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012, Section 6409(a).
shall mean a freestanding mast, pole, monopole, guyed tower, lattice tower, freestanding tower, or other structure designed and primarily used to support communication facility antennas.
shall have the same meaning as provided in 47 C.F.R. Section 1.40001(b)(8), as may be amended.
shall mean the provision of services using a communication facility or a wireless telecommunications collocation facility, and shall include, but not be limited to, the following services: personal wireless services as defined in the Federal Telecommunications Act of 1996 at 47 U.S.C. Section 332(c)(7)(C) or its successor statute, cellular service, personal communication service, and/or data radio telecommunications.
(Ord. 1603 § 4 (Exh. I), 2023)