The purposes of this article are to:
A. Preserve the character and appearance of the community
while simultaneously allowing adequate personal wireless services
to be developed;
B. Protect the scenic, historic, environmental and natural
or man-made resources of the community;
C. Provide standards and requirements for the regulation,
placement, construction,, monitoring, design, modification and removal
of personal wireless service facilities and towers;
D. Provide a procedural basis for action within a reasonable
period of time for requests for authorization to place, construct,
operate or modify personal wireless service facilities and towers;
E. Preserve property values;
F. Locate towers so that they do not have negative impacts,
such as, but not limited to, visual blight, attractive nuisance, noise
and falling objects, on the general safety, welfare and quality of
life of the community;
G. Require owners of personal wireless service facilities
and towers to configure them so as to minimize and mitigate the adverse
visual impact of the facilities and towers; and
H. Require the clustering and camouflaging of personal
wireless service facilities and towers.
[Amended 10-7-2019 by Ord. No. TOR-2019-6]
This article is intended to be consistent with
the Telecommunications Act of 1996 and Section 6409 of the Federal
Taxpayers Relief Act of 2012, in that:
A. It does not prohibit or have the effect of prohibiting
the provision of personal wireless services;
B. It is not intended to be used to unreasonably discriminate
among providers of functionally equivalent personal wireless services;
and
C. It does not regulate personal wireless services on
the basis of the environmental effects of radio frequency emissions
to the extent that the regulated services and facilities comply with
the FCC's regulations concerning such emissions.
[Amended 11-7-2012 by TOR-2012-3; 10-7-2019 by Ord. No. TOR-2019-6]
For the purposes of this article, the following
words and phrases shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to
them by this section:
ACTS
The Telecommunications Act of 1996 and Section 6409 of the
Federal Taxpayers Relief Act of 2012.
[Added 11-5-2014 by TOR-2014-9;
amended 3-16-2015 by TOR-2015-1]
A. Upon submission of an application for a zone change to add a parcel
to the Wireless Telecommunications Overlay District under this article,
the applicant shall pay a review fee determined by the City Council,
consisting of reasonable costs to be incurred by the City Council
for the employment of independent consultants. These consultants shall
each be qualified professionals with a record of service to municipalities
in one or more of the following:
(1)
Telecommunications engineering;
(3)
Monitoring of electromagnetic fields; and
(4)
(If determined necessary by the City Council) other relevant
fields of experience as determined by the City Council.
B. The independent consultant(s) shall assist the City Council in determining
whether the subject parcel needs to be added to the Wireless Telecommunications
Overlay District. Said analysis shall include, but not be limited
to, determining whether adequate personal wireless services can be
provided utilizing existing parcels in the Wireless Telecommunications
Overlay District and/or existing structures, including but not limited
to buildings, water towers, existing telecommunication facilities,
utility poles and towers and related facilities, provided that such
installation preserves the character and integrity of those structures.
No personal wireless service facility or tower
shall be erected, constructed or installed or undergo Major Modification
without first obtaining a special permit from the SPGA in accordance
with the requirements set forth herein.
A. Adequate coverage, adequate capacity and justification
of need for personal wireless service facility and/or tower.
(1) Sites in which applicant has legal or equitable interest.
(a)
The applicant shall provide written documentation
of any facility site(s) in Agawam and any sites in abutting towns
located within eight miles of any boundary of the Town of Agawam in
which it has any legal or equitable interest, whether by ownership,
leasehold or otherwise. For each such facility site, it shall demonstrate
with written documentation that this facility site is not already
providing or does not have the potential by adjusting the site to
provide adequate coverage and/or adequate capacity to the Town of
Agawam. The documentation shall include, for each facility site listed:
[1]
The exact tower location (in longitude and latitude,
to degrees, minutes, seconds);
[2]
Ground elevation above mean sea level at the
tower location;
[3]
Height of tower or structure;
[4]
Type, manufacturer and model number of antennas;
[6]
Height of antennas on tower or structure;
[10]
Maximum power output per channel.
(b)
Potential adjustments to these existing facility
sites, including changes in antenna type, orientation, gain, height
or power output shall be specified. Radial plots from each of these
facility sites, as they exist, and with adjustments as above, shall
be provided as part of the application.
(2) Sites in which applicant has no legal or equitable
interest.
(a)
The applicant shall demonstrate with written
documentation that it has examined all existing facility sites located
in Agawam and any sites in abutting towns located within eight miles
of any boundary of the Town of Agawam in which the applicant has no
legal or equitable interest, whether by ownership, leasehold or otherwise,
to determine whether the existing facility sites can be used to provide
adequate coverage and/or adequate capacity to the Town of Agawam.
The documentation shall include, for each existing facility site examined:
[1]
The exact tower location (in longitude and latitude,
to degrees, minutes, seconds);
[2]
Ground elevation above mean sea level at the
tower location;
[3]
Height of tower or structure;
[4]
Type, manufacturer and model number of proposed
antennas;
[6]
Height of proposed antennas on tower or structure;
[7]
Proposed output frequency;
[8]
Proposed number of channels;
[9]
Proposed power input; and
[10]
Proposed maximum power output per channel.
(b)
Radial plots from each of these existing facility
sites, configured as documented above, shall be provided as part of
the application.
(3) The applicant shall demonstrate with written documentation
that it has analyzed the feasibility of repeaters in conjunction with
all existing facility sites listed in compliance with the sections
above to provide adequate coverage and/or adequate capacity to the
Town of Agawam. Radial plots of all repeaters considered for use in
conjunction with these facility sites shall be provided as part of
the application.
B. Required documentation for personal wireless service
facility and/or tower. The applicant shall include reports prepared
by one or more professional engineers, which shall demonstrate that
the personal wireless service facility and tower comply with all applicable
standards of the federal and state governments, more specifically:
(1) Copies of ail submittals and showings pertaining to:
FCC licensing, environmental impact statements, FAA notice of construction
or alteration, aeronautical studies and all data, assumptions and
calculations relating to service coverage and power levels regardless
of whether categorical exemption from routine environmental evaluation
under the FCC rules is claimed.
(2) Copies of all information submitted in compliance
with requirements of Massachusetts Department of Public Health, 105
CMR 122 Fixed Facilities Which Generate Electromagnetic Fields in
the Frequency Range of 300 khz to 100 ghz and Microwave Ovens, or
any revisions thereof as the Department of Public Health may, by written
notice, create.
(3) The exact legal name, address or principal place of
business and phone number of the applicant. If any applicant is not
a natural person, it shall also give the state under which it was
created or organized.
(4) The name, title, address and phone number of the person
to whom correspondence or communications in regard to the application
are to be sent. Notice, orders and other papers may be served upon
the person so named, and such service shall be deemed to be service
upon the applicant.
(5) Name, address, phone number and written consent to
apply for this permit of the owner of the property on which the proposed
personal wireless service facility and/or tower shall be located or
of the owner(s) of the tower or structure on which the proposed personal
wireless service facility shall be located.
(6) Required plans and engineering plans, prepared, stamped
and signed by a professional engineer licensed to practice in Massachusetts.
(Note: Survey plans shall also be stamped and signed by a professional
land surveyor registered in Massachusetts.) Plans shall be on sheets
24 inches x 36 inches, on as many sheets as necessary and at scales
which are no smaller (i.e., no less precise) than listed below. Each
plan sheet shall have a title block indicating the project title,
sheet title, sheet number, date, revision dates, scale(s) and original
seal and signature of the professional engineer and other professionals
who prepared the plan.
(7) The applicant shall, as part of its application, provide
the SPGA with the following plans and maps:
(a)
Proposed site plans.
[1]
Proposed facility site layout, grading and utilities
at a scale no smaller than one inch = 40 feet (1:480 or metric equivalent
1:500) showing the entire vicinity within a radius of 400 feet of
the tower site, with topography drawn with minimum of contour intervals
of two feet (0.6 meter).
[2]
Proposed tower location and any appurtenances
and accessory buildings (communication equipment shelter or other).
Indicate property boundaries of the Overlay District and setback distances
to the base(s) of the tower and to the nearest comers of each of the
appurtenant structures to those boundaries and dimensions of all proposed
improvements.
[3]
Limits of areas where vegetation is to be cleared
or altered and justification for any such clearing or alteration.
[4]
Plans of proposed access driveway or roadway
and parking area at the facility site. Include grading, drainage,
traveled width. Include a cross section of the access drive indicating
the width, depth of gravel, paving or surface materials.
(b)
Proposed tower and appurtenances.
[1]
Plans, elevations, sections and details at appropriate
scales but no smaller than one inch = 10 feet.
[2]
Two cross-sections through proposed tower drawn
at right angles to each other and showing the ground profile to at
least 100 feet beyond the limit of clearing. Indicate proposed spot
elevations at the base of the proposed tower. Dimension the proposed
height of the tower above average grade at tower base. Indicate the
maximum allowable structural height of the tower after addition of
any modular sections. Show all proposed antennas, including their
location on the tower.
[3]
Details of typical tower foundation, including
cross sections and details. Show all ground attachments, specifications
for anchor bolts and other anchoring hardware.
[4]
Detail proposed exterior finish and camouflage
of the tower.
[5]
Indicate relative height of the tower to the
tops of surrounding trees as they presently exist.
(c)
Proposed communications equipment shelters.
[1]
Floor plans, elevations and cross sections at
a scale of no smaller than 1/4 inch = one foot (1:48) of any proposed
appurtenant structure.
[2]
Representative elevation views, indicating the
roof, facades, doors and other exterior appearance and materials.
(d)
Proposed equipment plan.
[1]
Plans, elevations, sections and details at appropriate
scales, but no smaller than one inch = ten feet.
[2]
Number of antennas and repeaters (if any), as
well as the exact locations of all repeaters (if any) located on a
map, as well as by degrees, minutes and seconds of latitude and longitude.
[3]
Mounting locations on tower or structure, including
height above ground.
[4]
Antenna type(s), manufacturer(s), model and
number(s).
[5]
For each antenna, the antenna gain and antenna
radiation pattern.
[6]
Number of channels per antenna, projected and
maximum.
[7]
Power input to the antenna(s).
[8]
Power output, in normal use and at maximum output
for each antenna and all antennas as an aggregate.
[9]
Output frequency of the transmitter(s).
C. Application requirements for roof-mounted, side-mounted
and facade-mounted personal wireless service facilities. The use of
repeaters to assure adequate coverage or to fill holes within areas
of otherwise adequate coverage, while minimizing the number of required
towers is permitted and encouraged.
(1) Applicants shall provide the following information:
(a)
The exact location (in longitude and latitude,
to degrees, minutes and seconds), as well as by street address or
pole number (if applicable);
(c)
Proposed output frequency;
(d)
Proposed number of channels;
(e)
Proposed power input; and
(f)
Proposed maximum power output per channel.
(2) Name, address, phone number and written consent to
apply for this permit of the owner of the property on which the proposed
facility shall be located.
(3) Proposed site layout, grading and utilities at a scale
no smaller than one inch = 40 feet (1:480 or metric equivalent 1:500)
showing the entire vicinity within a radius of 300 feet of the site
with topography drawn with minimum contour intervals of two feet (0.6
meter).
(a)
Proposed facility location and any appurtenances,
if any, and any accessory building (communication equipment shelter
or other). Indicate property boundaries of abutters within 300 feet
of the facility, and dimensions of all proposed improvements;
(b)
Limits of areas where vegetation is to be cleared
or altered and justification for any such clearing or alteration;
and
(c)
Plans of any proposed access driveway or roadway
and parking area at the site. Include grading, drainage, traveled
width. Include a cross section of the access drive indicating the
width, depth of gravel, paving or surface materials.
D. A major
modification is defined as a modification that substantially changes
the physical dimensions of a tower or station by including one of
the following conditions:
[Added 10-7-2019 by Ord. No. TOR-2019-6]
(1) An increase in the height of the tower by more than 10% or by the
height of one additional antenna;
(2) A protrusion from the edge of the tower more than 20 feet, or more
than the width of the tower structure at the level of the appurtenance,
whichever is greater;
(3) An installation of more than the standard number of new equipment
cabinets but not to exceed four cabinets;
(4) Any excavation or deployment outside the current site of the tower
or wireless service facility;
(5) The change would defeat the existing concealment elements of the
tower or wireless service facility; or
(6) The change does not comply with conditions associated with the prior
approval of construction or modification of the tower or wireless
service facility unless the noncompliance is due to an increase in
height, increase in width, addition of cabinets, or new excavation
that does not exceed the corresponding "substantial change" thresholds
identified.
E. An eligible
facilities request for modification of an existing wireless facility
or tower that does not substantially change the physical dimensions
of such facility or tower shall be required to apply for and receive
any and all permits required by the Inspector of Buildings. An eligible
facilities request shall involve the following on a preexisting wireless
facility or tower:
[Added 10-7-2019 by Ord. No. TOR-2019-6]
(1) Collocation of new transmission equipment;
(2) Removal of transmission equipment; or
(3) Replacement of transmission equipment.
Towers and personal wireless service facilities
shall be insured by the owner(s) against damage to persons or property.
The owner(s) shall provide a certificate of insurance to the Planning
Board on an annual basis. For towers and facilities located on property
owned by the Town of Agawam, the Town of Agawam shall be an additional
named insured.
Upon determination that the applicant and/or
owner has failed to comply with this article or is in violation of
this article, and the Town of Agawam takes any action to enforce this
article, bring the applicant and/or owner into compliance with this
article, or to abate any violations under this article, the applicant
and/or owner shall be liable and responsible to pay to the Town of
Agawam all costs, expenses and reasonable attorney's fees for such
action taken by the Town of Agawam. Failure to pay said costs, expenses
and reasonable attorney's fees within 30 days of receipt of notice
to pay the same shall be grounds for the revocation of any special
permit issued in accordance with this article.
The invalidity of any section or provision of
this article shall not invalidate any other section or provision hereof
or to take any other action with respect thereto.