Agenda - Planning Commission - 12/01/2016

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The need forth number of new sites is 1 because of the(exponentially)ever-increasing demand for bandwidth,the very limited range , of the newly available higher frequencies,the 9 - emergence of the Internet of Things(IoT),and the desire to use the most economical means of"backhauling"the signal to the local or net- work et work switch.Experts estimate the demand for bandwidth maybe as much as 1,00o times the bandwidth used three years ago.Meanwhile the higherthe frequency of the transmission the less robust the signal meaning higher fre quency }� x g signals have a maximum usable range that is significantly less than has historically ' a been the case.Most experts agree that the r amount of traffic on the IoT—the demand cre- ated by Internet-enabled appliances,vehicles, buildings,and other objects—is expected to — a• e o exceed that ofthe entire Internet today.Com bined,this situation is creating a sea change, both for the industry and for those charged with regulating wireless facilities. The area served by a typical macrocell site today covers an area of about one mile radius ortwo miles in diameter.Going for- mm ,wC ward,this same service area could require a half-dozen or more sites(for each carrier), with each site covering a few hundred yards in each direction.In most instances this will be done using distributed antenna system(DAS) Y or"small cell"technologies.DAS is a system u that accommodates multiple carriers using a single smaller and lower powered antenna and a single central base station,with all an- tenna sites(nodes)connected via optical fiber s cables,thus creating a(local or regional)net- work.Small cell is another newer technology employing smaller,lower-powered antennas C serving a single carrier,and the sites are not r connected via fiber. arriving at a cell site is backhaul,ed to a central the letters and proposals to communities we F In most communities,these new sites location,which is the local switch or the op- have seen(coast to coast),and those we have will need to be located in all zoning designa- erator's mobile switch.This new player typi- dealt with in the context of applications,the tions,and frequently the request will be to catty wants to use microwave transmissions to visual and physical impact of such facilities locate in the PROW,often attaching to existing provide this function,but microwave is not the can be significant.However,in most cases, utility poles,light standards,signs,and simi only option.In many instances it's simply the most of the negative effects can be prevented lar structures. least costly and can often allow the wireless and still allow for a win-win situation. r signals of multiple carriers to be aggregated. It's important to understand that these A New Type of Player The companies who want to install these entities are notwireless carriers,and without In virtually every state across the nation there taller support structures may claim to have all a specifically identified carrier as a joint ap- is a new type of player who wants to place the rights of a regulated utility.In fact,many plicant,they have no standing(i.e.,benefits) support structures(monopoles)ranging in communities have received a letter from one under federal law or FCC rules.They're tower/ height from 6o to 18o feet in the PROW.The of these companies that makes certain asser- wireless support structure companies.The primary purpose of these installations is to tions regarding who they are,what they do, problem is that they often claim that they are provide backhaul service to carriers."Back- and what rights they have,as well as implicitly exempt from local zoning,land-use,orsimi- haul"refers to the links between cell sites, what rights communities do not have with re- lar regulations,simply because they have a controllers,and switches.Generally,the traffic spect to the siting of their facilities.Based on "Certificate of Necessity and Convenience"(or I ZONINGPRACTICE -11..16 AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION[page 3