It is the purpose of this article to provide
specific zoning conditions and standards for the location and operation
of cellular antennas for telephone, radio, paging and other personal
communication services and/or television communication within the
Township which, while acknowledging that there are inherent benefits
derived from the construction and operation of such antennas, also
recognize the need to safeguard the public good and preserve the intent
and the purposes of the Township zone plan.
The overall objective of this article is to
enable the location of the necessary antennas within the Township
in order to provide full cellular communication services while, at
the same time, limiting the number of supporting towers to the fewest
possible. Therefore, since it is recognized that a number of service
carriers have the right to provide cellular communication service
within the Township, it is also an objective of this section that
many of the different carriers collocate their antennas on the same
tower in order to limit the overall number of towers with the Township
to the fewest possible.
In order to provide evidence that the proposed
location of the proposed antennas, and any proposed supporting tower
and ancillary building enclosing related electronic equipment, have
been planned to result in the fewest number of tower locations within
the Township at the time full service is provided by the applicant
throughout the Township, the applicant shall provide an overall comprehensive
plan indicating how it intends to provide full service throughout
the Township and, to the greatest extent reasonably possible, shall
indicate how its plan specifically relates to and is coordinated with
the needs of all other providers of cellular communication services
within the Township. Essentially and summarily, the overall comprehensive
plan shall indicate the following:
A. How the proposed location of the proposed antennas
relates to the location of any existing towers within and near the
Township.
B. How the proposed location of the proposed antennas
relates to the anticipated need for additional antennas and supporting
towers within and near the Township by the applicant and by other
providers of cellular communication services within the Township.
C. How the proposed location of the proposed antennas
relates to the objective of collocating the antennas of many different
providers of cellular communication services on the same tower.
D. How the proposed location of the proposed antennas
relates to the overall objective of providing full cellular communication
services within the Township while, at the same time, limiting the
number of towers to the fewest.
If needed in accordance with an overall comprehensive
plan for the provision of cellular communication services within the
Township utilizing the fewest number of towers as possible, cellular
antennas for telephone, radio, paging and/or television communication
shall be permitted at the following prioritized locations:
A. First-priority location: an existing tower or an existing
or proposed water tower or water standpipe within or near the Township.
B. Second-priority location: on lands owned by the Township,
including a right-of-way owned by the Township.
C. Third-priority location: on lands owned by a fire
company or first aid squad providing service within the Township.
D. Fourth-priority location: on lands within the Township
zoned or lawfully used primarily for commercial or industrial land
uses.
The height of any proposed antenna and any proposed
new tower shall be demonstrated by the applicant to be the maximum
height necessary for the proposed installation to satisfactorily operate
and provide for collocations.
[Amended 3-13-2024 by Ord. No. 2024-01]
The applicant shall provide a performance bond
and/or other assurances satisfactory to the Land Development Board
and in a form approved by the Township Attorney that will cause the
antennas, the supporting tower, the ancillary building enclosing related
electronic equipment and all other related improvements to the land
to be removed, at no cost to the Township, when the antennas are no
longer operative.
[Amended 3-13-2024 by Ord. No. 2024-01]
All other applicable requirements of this article
not to the contrary to the specific conditions and standards specified
herein shall be met, but waivers and/or variances of such other applicable
requirements of this article may be granted by the Land Development
Board.