The purpose of this article is to establish special conditions
and performance standards for the use of communications antenna arrays
and communication towers, as defined below. The goals of this article
include encouraging the co-location of antennas on existing structures,
and the joint use of new and existing towers in order to minimize
or mitigate any adverse impact on the Town that may result from the
location or configuration of communications antennas and communications
towers.
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
COMMUNICATIONS ANTENNA ARRAY
The antenna or antennas from which wireless radio signals
are sent and received by a personal wireless service facility as defined
by the Telecommunications Act of 1996. It may include up to 12 antennas
in one array and one microwave antenna for the exclusive use of the
carrier in transmitting its own signals. It may also include an equipment
shelter as an accessory use.
COMMUNICATIONS TOWER
A freestanding structure used for the location of one or
more communications antenna arrays. It may also include an equipment
shelter as an accessory use.
EQUIPMENT SHELTER
An enclosed structure, cabinet, shed or box used in conjunction
with a communications array to house electrical equipment, batteries
and emergency electrical generators.
No communications antenna array or communications tower shall
be erected, constructed, altered or maintained on any lot within the
Town without complying with the terms of this article. Nothing herein
shall be deemed to prohibit or regulate any communications antenna
and/or tower if used solely in the exercise of a governmental function.
A. A communications antenna array shall be allowed as of right on any
structure existing on December 10, 1997 (the date of passage of this
amendment), within zones specified in the Zoning Use Matrix, provided that the height of such communications antenna
array shall not exceed the height of such existing structure by more
than 12 feet.
B. A communications antenna array located on any structure, including
a tower, constructed after December 10, 1997 (the date of passage
of this amendment), shall be permitted as a special use permit use
within the zones specified in the Zoning Use Matrix, provided that such new tower or structure shall not exceed
200 feet in height.
C. A communications tower shall be permitted as a special use or permitted
use within the zones so specified in the Zoning Use Matrix, provided that such new tower shall not exceed 200 feet
in height.
D. This section shall not apply to any tower or antenna installation
which is owned and operated by a federally licensed amateur radio
station operator, which tower or antenna does not exceed 70 feet in
height.
An application for a special use permit for a communications
antenna array or communications tower shall include the following
information:
A. The applicant shall supply a definition of the area of service and
indicate the current coverage capacity.
B. The applicant shall supply information showing that the proposed
facility would provide the needed coverage and/or capacity.
C. The applicant shall provide a map or maps, covering the entire Town
and showing all existing, proposed or planned sites of such carrier,
including alternative sites from which the needed coverage could also
be provided, and indicating the zoning for all such sites.
D. Should an existing structure not be utilized, the applicant shall
provide evidence as to why such structure has not been utilized.
E. The applicant shall indicate how the site will be designed to accommodate
future multiple users, and how many of such users.
In addition to the standards set forth in §
400-9 of this chapter, the Zoning Board of Review shall consider the following factors in determining whether to issue a special use permit, and shall make positive findings of fact thereupon:
A. Have all available co-location operations on existing towers been
exhausted?
B. The height of any proposed tower and its proximity to residential
structures.
C. The nature of the uses of the neighboring properties.
D. The surrounding topography, tree coverage and other natural elements
of the landscape of the proposed site and adjacent properties.
E. Those design characteristics that reduce or eliminate adverse impacts
on the community, including type (guyed tower, lattice tower or monopole)
or tower or antenna array, color of tower or antenna array, and overall
visual obtrusiveness.
All applications for a communications antenna array or communications
tower shall be subject to site plan approval. The following design
standards shall apply to all communications antenna arrays and communications
towers:
A. For the erection of a communications antenna array on an existing
structure, the proposed facility shall preserve the preexisting character
of the building or structure on which it is located, as well as the
surrounding buildings and land uses. All components of the proposed
facility shall be integrated through location and design to be compatible
with the existing characteristics of the site to the extent practical.
Existing on-site vegetation shall be preserved or improved and the
disturbance of the existing topography shall be minimized, unless
such disturbance would result in less visual impact of the facility
on the surrounding areas.
B. For the erection of a communications tower, the proposed facility
shall preserve the preexisting character of the surrounding buildings
and land uses as much as possible. All components of the proposed
facility shall be integrated through location and design to be compatible
with existing characteristics of the site to the extent practical.
Existing on-site vegetation shall be preserved or improved and the
disturbance of the existing topography shall be minimized, unless
such disturbance would result in less visual impact of the facility
on the surrounding areas.
C. Towers shall have an ASTM specification A123 hot dip galvanized finish
and, subject to any applicable Federal Aviation Administration standards,
may be top-coated in a neutral color so as to reduce visual obtrusiveness.
D. At a tower site, the design of the buildings and related structures
shall use materials, colors, textures, screening and landscaping that
will blend the tower facilities to the natural setting and built environment.
E. If an antenna is installed on a structure other than a tower, the
antenna and supporting electrical and mechanical equipment must be
of a neutral color identical to, or closely compatible with, the color
of the supporting structure so as to make the antenna and related
equipment as visually unobtrusive as possible.
F. Towers shall not be artificially lighted, unless required by the
Federal Aviation Administration or other applicable authority. If
lighting is required, the reviewing authority may review the available
lighting alternatives and approve the design that would cause the
least disturbance to the surrounding views.
G. The Town reserves the right to verify the suitability of all towers
and arrays through use of an independent consultant to be paid for
by the applicant.
In order to encourage co-location of communication antenna arrays
and to encourage the location of such arrays on existing structures,
the Town Planner shall maintain an inventory of all active, approved
and proposed personal wireless services facilities, together with
copies of all coverage maps submitted in accordance with the application
requirements herein. The Town Planner shall be available to meet with
any wireless services carrier or group of carriers in an effort to
develop a comprehensive scheme of locations of such facilities within
the Town.