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whenever po.~ib[e and a service provider must appear before
<br />the zoning board ifa commercial location cannot be found.
<br />Tb.e ne.ct favored ske is a nonresidential r, one, then a
<br />residential zone, but, "no less than 350 feet fi'om schools, parks,
<br />playgrounds, clair<are centers and health-care ~-u:i[ides." ..
<br />
<br />In Kar~ Cim Missouri, the Ma-America Re~onal Council
<br />[~s produced cwo ~.~e~[ ]:x>oklecs ~or its mem]:~ gove~me~ts. "."
<br />T~e "WL~ele~ Telecomm~flo~ Tov~r Ord[r~nce
<br />is ~ reference manual drawing on local ordimmce$ and model '.:
<br />ordix~ance documents from acrc~ the country. The "W'treless
<br />Guidance Package" dis, cusses of sta, nd~ Feomcols and other
<br />criteria to be comidered in revi~ing telecommunications
<br />ordinances.
<br />
<br />Other localities ~ave formed various ty~ of auk forces. The
<br />Memph~lShel~ County, TennesseeOff~ce of Pianni~ aml .
<br />Development formed its wireless communications rusk
<br />with representatives of the local govunnxrm~r., the electri..c, gas
<br />and water utilities, and the urkele~ compani~. Martin
<br />County, Florida crffu:ials set up a task force on which tho
<br />invited all interested participants to become involved. The
<br />goal of the task force was to become acquainted with the
<br />Tele,:ommunications Act and how it affects local govemmmats.
<br />
<br />Defining What is Covered by I]nllnance
<br />
<br />The first part of the o~inance should ~ovide a full a,rufl
<br />comple~:e definition of what the ordinance intends to cover.
<br />Modem tecknolog-/evolves so rapidly that ~r~g to deg:ribe
<br />the full array of currend¥ available wireless facilities is difficult.
<br />Several m~or ~pes of facilities kave been used gar
<br />telecommunications mmsm~i~ howeveg They include
<br />broadcasting towen, two-way radio towers, fixed point
<br />microwave dishes, commercial satellites and recelvix,4I di.4xe~,
<br />and, most recently, cellular and I:K2S towers.
<br />
<br />In order for local officials, influstr7 representatives, and the '
<br />public to engage in disctasions about the firing of
<br />telecommunicatio~ facilities, and to make accurate decisions
<br />about their placement and co~truction, the ordinance should
<br />define each type o~ wir~,~ facility and be amended, as
<br />necematy, to accommodate ~echnological cl-amge, s. The
<br />Jefferson County, Cotorado Telecommunications and Land Use
<br />Plan, adopted Mair 8, 1985, amended January, 1993 andJtme,
<br />1995 is an excellent example of how thi~ defmkion should be
<br />written. It defme~ facilities in detail and includes picraxes of
<br />various types of facilities irt the texe of the ordinance.
<br />
<br /> Application Requirements
<br />
<br /> Application requirements and procedures for telecommun-
<br /> ications providers requesting a permit to site a wireless faceit',/
<br /> are also of primary importance since a clear, cmacL~ application
<br /> oft. eh can avert future pt0ble/~ Jefferson County, Colc~tado
<br />' provides an excellent explanation of what it require~ fi-om
<br /> tower applicaac Its provisions demon.m-ate serious research by
<br /> the county's plasmlng deparcrnertc and other local ageneie~
<br /> indicate chat a fair argl ef~ient review proc~s ia in place.
<br /> Their ordinanc~ t~ulr~s that applicants provide:.
<br />
<br /> * ~ite and land.w, ape plans drawn to gale;,
<br />
<br /> o a xeport including a description of thc to'er wi&
<br /> technical _re-~-wm gar its design;
<br />
<br /> - documentation e~tablishing the structural integrity for the
<br /> tower's proposed usea,
<br />
<br /> .;
<br /> · ~e general capacity of the tower, and information
<br /> nece~xy to ae~ure r. hat.,~ISI standards are met.;
<br />
<br /> · a statement of intent om whether excess spac~ wilt be
<br /> lea~;
<br />
<br /> " proof of ownership of the pro~ site or atutmrizadort to'
<br />
<br /> · copies of any easements
<br />
<br /> · an anal~si~ ~the area contalning,=daing toix6raphical
<br />
<br /> · a vL.~ua[ study depicting %ehere wirahln a three mile radius
<br /> an}, portion of the proposed tower could be seen."
<br />
<br /> Tb~ ordinance and its accompanying "Low Power Mobil Radio
<br /> Commtmications Land Use Nan Addendum" are
<br /> recommended reading for any kx:ality dealing with cellular
<br /> siting issues.
<br />
<br />Local otdknanc~ often require service providers to um.ximize
<br />the use of an existing or proposed wireless tower through co-
<br />location. Co-locaticm occurs whea two or more provide=
<br />place their trartsmit~ing facili6e~ together in the ~ame location
<br />or on thc same rower or monopole. These facilities may
<br />provide identical, competing services or a variety of different
<br />
<br />
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