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I New Cell Tower Ordinance for the City of Spartanburg <br /> <br />by Bob Klute <br /> <br />The City Council of Spartanburg <br />recently approved a telecommu- <br />nications ordinance designed to <br />encourage the use of existing <br />lowers as co-location sites while <br />restricting the construction of new <br />lowers. In summary, the new <br />ordinance provides for a <br />approval process: (1): <br />locations <br />approved <br />are on an <br />ture); (2 <br /> <br /> in the Zon <br /> rowers may be <br /> the footprints of ex! <br /> (again, these may be <br /> administratively); and (: <br /> towers may be approved <br /> tratively on one of a list <br /> recommended potential sJ <br />I ~l'hese [ <br /> ~teveloPed as a <br />I }commJssloned from a'~6nsultant~ <br /> ]COMP COMM, lncq The filing <br /> study identified the extent of <br /> coverage possible from existing <br /> towers and further identified areas <br /> of the City where coverage would <br /> need to be improved in order to be <br /> compliant with the Federal <br /> Telecommunications Act of 1996. <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />selected sites approved by the City. <br />Council, which would minimize the <br />impact of new lowers while provid- <br />ing adequate coverage for the <br />companies. <br /> <br />If an applicant believes that the <br />three options above still do not <br /> the new <br /> evaluation <br /> <br />additional co-locations if they are <br />stealth towers. <br /> <br />The city's consultant was an active <br />partner in the development of this <br />new ordinance, particularly the <br />three-step review process. <br />Additionally, local representatives <br />of telecommunications companies <br />provided excellent information <br /> of their <br /> is. The possibility of <br /> Power <br /> was <br /> <br />; to this <br /> <br />These areas are where the City can <br />expect applications in the near <br />future for new tower construction. <br />The siting study mirrored the <br />process which telecommunications <br />companies use to design a system to <br />provide good coverage for their <br />subscribers. The list of potential <br />sites was designed to provide pre- <br /> <br />Reprinted with permission. <br /> <br />the <br /> <br />least th <br />property <br />historic d <br />which contai~ <br />place such as <br />children's and <br />any public right Towers are <br />not required to be stealth towers in <br />the medium and heavy commercial <br />(B-3, B-4) and'industrial district (I- <br />1; I-2) and may be set back the <br />normal building set backs from the <br />property lines of those districts. <br />They may also be approved admin- <br />istratively. All new towers are also <br />required to provide for three <br />additional co-locations and for two - <br /> <br />For more <br /> <br /> lecommunication <br /> exploring with <br /> use of their towers. <br /> <br /> during the <br /> this <br /> not to prohibit <br /> ~munication towers within <br /> but to encourage the co- <br /> existing facilities and reduce <br />need for new tower construc- <br />tion. Since the ordinance has been <br />approved, the City has received one <br />application, a request for a co- <br />location on an existing tower.' This <br />was processed and approved <br />administratively. Of course, time <br />will tell whether the new ordinance <br />will achieve the goals stated above. <br />For additional information on this <br />ordinance, please contact Bob <br />Klute, Planning Manager for the <br />city of Sparmnburg at 864-596- <br />2071. <br /> <br />information on COMe COMM, Inc., contact us at 800-774-1525 or www.compcommine.com3&[ <br /> <br /> <br />