Agenda - Planning Commission - 02/01/2000

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O~'d qU£Oi nil antenna to be attached to the facade ora buildin~ as long is painted to match the ~tructure. It al.so allow~ i~tallatton of wireless 6cilitie~ on toof~ and on eleccrk: and water towers as long as they do not exceed a ce~'tain height. ' Jefferson Cotmty, Colorado established visual imFact policte~ in its Telecommmaications Phm. tc devote~ an entise section of its ordinance ro minimizing the visual and noize impac~ of communications equipment. It states that telecommtmicatioiii · facilities %hould result irt a minimal visual impact ~or tho~' "-' residents tn the immediate area and for those ~ the target~ tommtmiW who view there facilities from a distance." To a~sist communities in minimizing visual imFaet, the ordinance provides examples and ~ that can be implemented for both new and existing vmact~es. These ~nclude providing a three-year time l:~:riocl f~r existing sitm m comply with " requirement~ to make '*equipment buildings corapat~le with the surrom~ing area by considering color, g, texture of" materials, landscaping and screening." Lighting for communication towers is required when the towers axe tall enough to be under FAA regulation. TM Jefferson Pettish, Lou~i~ma ordinance ~tes, "Wh~ lighting is required. and/a petmitt~ by the FAA or other federal or state authority, it shall be oriented inward so as not to lxoject onto sunmunding residential property." The ordinance lXepared by the City of Durham, Carolina requires all towers to comply with th~ llgh6.ng tions of the FAA and conform to ali applicable building requirements. To ensure a tower's structural integrity, Green- burgh, New York's ordinance requires an operational certificate prelyared by a professional e'e, gixteer from the owner or operator o/a new tower wit. bin 45 days of r. he initial operation. This certification must indicaze compliance with all ~plicable regulations. The sample ordinance guide prepared by the Mid-America Regional Council includes ~m'nple wo~ding flor a building code prepared by the Atlanta Regional Corm'nission. This paragraph requires that mwees comply with the ~tandard~ published ~ the Electroni¢ Industries Asu~iation and all applicable local A few local ov:Immces Lnd~e standards for maintaihing the tower or antenna facility a~ well as for lrarking. The' " extensively the i~a¢ of facility maintertance. It includes a. ~.~ request to describe antlcirra .t54 maintenance ~ :... '. incIuding frequency of service, personnel needs, equ.~mm( It also sugge~ that the trammission facility be automated 'ko th~ greatest extent po,siNe to reduce traff~ and congestiom' · Parking requirements generally do not apply to cdlular towe~ tmle. ss the equipment building is :rafted. As both technologies and business conditions change, provide= may occasiomlly fred that they no longer need previomly.~ed towers. Mos~ ordinances restrict the t~me in which m unused muter may sta~d to between s~ and 18 montha, with some requiting the tower appliexnt to c~ver the demolition cos~. A few have penalties if the tower is removed within the designated time. The Wentzville, Missouri ordinance requires 5.h¢ owner to provide the city with a copy of the notice to the FCC of intent to cea~ opet'ations and ... [gLve~] nine~ day~ from the date ofceasirtg operatiom to remove the obsolete tower and aeces.~xy structures." While concern with the abandonmertt of st:ruetures is focused on towet~ and monopoles today, commtmity o~inance~ may in time need to address the abandonment of smaller antenna~ axtd other facilities mounted on rooftops and other kxations, as changing technologies eventually make them obsolete. OT/OT 'd SBI±[3 NH ~0 BND~Bq