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Siting Cellular Towels: What You Need to Know, What You Need to Do -
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<br />federal law makes the tower owner, not just the wirele~ ~ervice
<br />provider, responsible for ~f~ty, compliance with FCC ~rtd FAA
<br />rules, and other regulatiom, including painting and lighting.
<br />Irt this context, the term "tower" includes any structure to
<br />which an antenna is attached, including buildings.
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<br />The management respomiNlities involving multiple user
<br />antenna sites can be time consuming, and the local
<br />govenm~nt may wish to h~e a gte manager, u~ag a
<br />percen~ge of the rental revenue.
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<br />The City of Oreens~ro, Nort~ Carolina plan call~ for the city
<br />to lease city property for commtmication tower constructiom.
<br />The city also identified existing ciw facilities that can
<br />accommodate antennas. The City of Sunnlor4e, Call, mia
<br />~te~ed into m ~r~me~t to ~ I~rmits to use city-own~c1.
<br />light poles and traff'~: signals for installation ofcommunicam
<br />equipment hi exchange for a fee and other semites.
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<br />Most ordinances require ~ome set'back from adjoining lx~perty
<br />lines. Setback distances are the minimum distance Ix-'tween
<br />the cower and the site's lot lin~s. These ~re usually expr~ ~
<br />a percentage of tower berg. hi. Irt tower siting, setbacks are
<br />useful for their aesthetic impact and to establish safe zones for
<br />falling tower debris or collapse.
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<br />Prince George's County, Maryland has adopted an extensive
<br />ordinance with standards thac affect the installation of towem,
<br />the equipment building, and accompanying landscaping. The
<br />ordinance includes a section rat.at not only sets the height and
<br />the setback requirements, but also states what color the tower
<br />mus~ be painted. Durham, North Carolina includes a special
<br />section on'~Dimensions" irt its ordinance. This section
<br />includes specifg: dimension requirements for towers as well as
<br />~-.tbacks, minimum Iot size and buffers. Like many other
<br />communities, the City of Roswcll, Georgia adopted an
<br />ordinance requiring a setback equal to the height of ~ tower.
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<br />WhiIe numerous studies have been conducted by scientists, no
<br />study can successfia[l¥ alleviate concerns with positive proof
<br />that there are absolutely no health risks associated with the
<br />radiofrequency emissiom emanating from antennas and other
<br />wireless facilities.
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<br />Some localities, such as Oldl'uam Cc. mw, Kentuck/, Jefferson
<br />CotmW, Colorado, Mulmomah County, Oregon, and King
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<br />i.t~ue ~potential health ~1~ of eleemomagnetie radiation. For
<br />example, the Jeffe-~on County, Colorado telecommunication
<br />plan suggests practical measures to reduce exposm~ to resident,
<br />such as placemertt of facilities on tall, ex~ing towers or
<br />buildings, an adeguate lx~er separati~ towers from residential
<br />and commercial uses, and a calculation of expected
<br />racli~ency levels for the habitable structure nearest to the
<br />pm _pc4e__d tour. In Oreenbtugh, New Yorkg mxtinance, the
<br />health issue is addsessed by creating a body to monitor
<br />antennas to rnak~ sure that federal emission standa~ are met.
<br />it is ~m,anced by an escrow accotmt made up ora percentage of
<br />permit and l~asing fees.
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<br />Another major cor~icleration for many commtmities ~ the
<br />aesthetic quality of cellular towe~ md their coragafibility widi
<br />adjoining lXopert~. In order ~ maintain the aesthetic and
<br />h~oric nature of Mmmt Vernon, the home of George
<br />Washington, a cellular towex has been camouflaged ~s a tree.
<br />Other towem have been mounted em billboal~ or hidden in
<br />chtt~.h steeples.
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<br />The Orate County, Florida ordinanc~ requires careful dm'igr~
<br />siting, lanS~ape r~eenir~, and camot~aging to mailatain the
<br />aesthetic quality of the m~h~ area. It requires
<br />l.~'sisc, aping and screening materials to be immlled including "a
<br />row ofshade trees a minimum of 8 feet tall and a maximum of
<br />10 feet apart planted around the perimeter of the fenc~ ancl a
<br />continuous hedge at least 30 inches high at planting c. npable of
<br />gtowtng to at least 36 inches in height within 18 months
<br />planted in front of the ~e line referenced above." A Jefferson
<br />Parish, Louisiana ordinance requires certain towers to be
<br />dizgui,ed a~ uees and be "aes~etically and architecturally
<br />compatible with the environment." ,
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<br />Ae~d'tetic comiderations and requir~mertts extet~d to thc
<br />treatment of wireless facilities when placed on buildings,
<br />whether historic or corttemtmrary. The San Francisco,
<br />Catifomia ordinance ~stablishes guidelines f~r ro=fr~p
<br />imtallation of antennas. The Piano, Texas ordinance allows an
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