Guidelines for Telecommunications Facilities

Background

  • Zoning Ordinance Amendment and Policies adopted by the City Council on April 29, 1997
  • Policies were created through an 18 month process of regular meetings between City and County Planning Staff, wireless carrier representatives, and community group representatives.
  • Policies provide location criteria and guidelines for evaluating proposed telecommunication facilities project requests for which planning entitlements are required.
  • Policies recognize dramatic changes and growth in the telecommunications industry and the value of the increased services gained by the City's business community and private citizens.
  • Key objectives for the City are to maximize the number of "invisible" telecommunications facility sites, provide locational opportunities on City owned property or right-of-ways, encourage co-location of facilities, and maximize the proliferation of monopoles.

Facility Siting Highlights

Siting Preferences (Listed in order of preference)

  • Located completely within an existing or constructed structure.
  • Existing structures (public or private) that allow a facade mounted antenna
  • Existing structures (public or private) which require a modification of the structure architecturally or in height in order to mount antennas (includes roof mounts)
  • Collocation on existing poles or light standards at a lower height
  • Collocation on existing poles or light standards at a higher height
  • New monopole (whether co-developed or single carrier)

Facility Location & Design Guidelines

  • Antenna panels should match the building colors and/or architectural character so as to not be visible.
  • Antennas should be screened with stealthing materials so as not to be visible (as much as possible).
  • Roof mounted antennas should be located in the center of the roof or as close to the center of the roof as possible. Projections above the roof should be "invisible" to pedestrians passing the site from the opposite side of the street. Although the current standard allows a maximum projection height of 12 feet; the intent is not to interpret that height as a solution for a building that is not as tall as is needed to serve the carrier.
  • Carriers should consider constructing new parapets or structures on building roof tops that are in keeping with the building architecture so that roof mounts can actually be constructed as facade mounts.
  • Monopoles should be constructed of materials that match the prevalent poles and/or buildings and landscaping in the area or provide stealthing for the pole (i.e. wood, metal, palm/pine tree). Also carriers should consider using "close proximity/bi-polar or tight antenna arrays" configurations on monopoles instead of "traditional top hat" antenna arrays.
  • Monopoles should be painted to match either the sky line (dull matte gray) or other prevalent architectural or natural features (i.e. trees).
  • Antennas that are collocated on another facility should be designed to coordinate and compliment the existing design of the facility.
  • Carriers should consider enclosing the antennas within another structure such as a sign or an architectural feature.
  • Carriers should avoid sites that will require monopoles to be painted or lighted per FAA standards.
  • Carriers should consider siting as much as possible on existing infrastructure such as highway structures, transmission towers/poles, light standards etc.
  • Carriers should consider the distance from residentially zoned properties when considering the placement of additional antennas on an existing monopole (or other collocation), or when installing a facade mounted antenna. The objective is to have the facility be invisible when viewed from the residentially zoned property.
  • Carriers should include landscaping in proposals to better screen equipment building or cabinets.
  • Carriers should locate all equipment shelters or cabinets to the rear of existing buildings away from the streetscape view.
  • New telecommunications towers in sensitive areas may be subject to a term limit or required periodic review as part of the conditioning of any approved entitlements.

Further Information