A. 
The purpose and intent of this chapter is to:
(1) 
Establish a local policy concerning telecommunications providers and services;
(2) 
Establish clear local guidelines, standards and time frames for the exercise of local authority with respect to regulation of telecommunications providers and services;
(3) 
Promote competition in telecommunications;
(4) 
Minimize unnecessary local regulation of telecommunications providers and services;
(5) 
Encourage the provision of advanced and competitive telecommunications services on the widest possible basis to the businesses, institutions and residents of the Township;
(6) 
Permit and manage reasonable access to the public ways of the Township for telecommunications purposes on a competitively neutral basis;
(7) 
Conserve the limited physical capacity of the public ways held in trust by the Township;
(8) 
Assure that the Township's current and ongoing costs of granting and regulating private access to and use of the public ways are fully paid by the persons seeking such access and causing such costs;
(9) 
Assure that all telecommunications carriers providing facilities within the Township comply with the ordinances, rules and regulations of the Township;
(10) 
Assure that the Township can continue to fairly and responsibly protect the public health, safety and welfare;
(11) 
Enable the Township to discharge its public trust consistent with rapidly evolving federal and state regulatory policies, industry competition and technological development.
B. 
The Township Committee finds that due to the passage of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 and the proliferation of telecommunication companies seeking to use its public ways, the passage of this chapter is necessary to ensure the health, safety and welfare of its residents. The Committee further finds that it is empowered to enact such a licensing ordinance pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:42-1 and N.J.S.A. 48:17-11.
For the purpose of this chapter, and the interpretation and enforcement thereof, the following words and phrases shall have the following meanings, unless the context of the sentence in which they are used shall indicate otherwise:
AN AFFILIATE
A person that directly or indirectly owns or controls, is owned or controlled by, or is under common ownership or control with another person.
EXCESS CAPACITY
The volume or capacity in any existing or future duct, conduit, manhole, handhole or other utility facility within the public way that is or will be available for use for additional telecommunications facilities.
FCC
The Federal Communications Commission.
OTHER WAYS
The highways, streets, alleys, utility easements or other rights-of-way within the Township but under the jurisdiction and control of a governmental entity other than the Township.
OVERHEAD FACILITIES
Utility poles, utility facilities and telecommunications facilities located above the surface of the ground, including the underground supports and foundations for such facilities.
PERSON
Includes corporations, companies, associations, joint stock companies or associations, firms, partnerships, limited liability companies and individuals and includes their lessors, trustees and receivers.
PUBLIC STREET
Any highway, street, alley or other public right-of-way for motor vehicle travel under the jurisdiction and control of the Township which has been acquired, established, dedicated or devoted to highway purposes not inconsistent with telecommunications facilities.
PUBLIC WAY
Includes all public streets and utility easements, as those terms are defined herein, now or hereafter owned by the Township, but only to the extent of the Township's right, title, interest or authority to grant a license to occupy and use such streets and easements for telecommunications facilities.
SMALL WIRELESS FACILITIES
Small wireless facilities, consistent with 47 C.F.R. § 1.6002(1), are facilities that meet the following conditions:
[Added 5-28-2019 by Ord. No. O-19-8]
A. 
The facilities:
(1) 
Are mounted on structures 50 feet or less in height including their antennas; or
(2) 
Are mounted on structures no more than 10% taller than other adjacent structures; or
(3) 
Do not extend existing structures on which they are located to a height of more than 50 feet or by more than 10%, whichever is greater;
B. 
Each antenna associated with the deployment, excluding associated antenna equipment, is no more than three cubic feet in volume;
C. 
All other wireless equipment associated with the structure, including the wireless equipment associated with the antenna and any preexisting associated equipment on the structure, is no more than 28 cubic feet in volume;
D. 
The facilities do not require antenna structure registration under 47 C.F.R. Part 17; and
E. 
The facilities do not result in human exposure to radiofrequency radiation in excess of the applicable safety standards specified in 47 C.F.R. § 1.1307(b).
STATE
The State of New Jersey.
SURPLUS SPACE
That portion of the usable space on a utility pole which has the necessary clearance from other pole users, as required by the orders and regulations of the Board of Public Utilities, to allow its use by a telecommunications carrier for a pole attachment.
TELECOMMUNICATIONS CARRIER
Includes every person that directly or indirectly owns, controls, operates or manages plant, equipment, or property within the Township, used or to be used for the purpose of offering telecommunications service.
TELECOMMUNICATIONS FACILITIES
The plant, equipment and property, including but not limited to, cables, wires, conduits, ducts, pedestals, antenna, electronics and other appurtenances used or to be used to transmit, receive, distribute, provide or offer telecommunications services.
TELECOMMUNICATIONS PROVIDER
Includes every person who provides telecommunications services over telecommunications facilities without any ownership or management control of the facilities.
TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICE
The providing or offering for rent, sale or lease, or an exchange for other value received, of the transmittal of voice, data, image, graphic and video programming information between or among points by wire, cable, fiber optics, laser, microwave, radio, satellite or similar facilities, with or without benefit of any closed transmission medium.
TOWNSHIP
The Township of Freehold.
TOWNSHIP PROPERTY
Includes all real property owned by the Township, other than public streets and utility easements as those terms are defined herein, and all property held in a proprietary capacity by the Township, which are not subject to the right-of-way licensing as provided in this chapter.
TREE
Any perennial plant having a diameter of four inches or greater measured at a point four feet above the ground.
UNDERGROUND FACILITIES
Utility and telecommunications facilities located under the surface of the ground, excluding the underground foundation or supports for overhead facilities.
USABLE SPACE
The total distance between the top of the utility pole and the lowest possible attachment point that provides the minimum allowable vertical clearance as specified in the orders and regulations of the Board of Public Utilities (BPU).
UTILITY EASEMENT
Any easement owned by the Township and acquired, established, dedicated or devoted for public utility purposes not inconsistent with telecommunications facilities.
UTILITY FACILITIES
The plant, equipment and property, including but not limited to the poles, pipes, mains, conduits, ducts, cables, wires, plant and equipment located under, on or above the surface of the ground within the public ways of the Township and used or to be used for the purpose of providing utility or telecommunications services.
[Amended 5-28-2019 by Ord. No. O-19-8]
Except as otherwise provided therein, any telecommunications carriers who desire to construct, install, operate, maintain, or otherwise locate telecommunications facilities in, under, over or across any public way of the Township for the sole purpose of providing telecommunications service to persons in areas outside the Township shall first obtain a license granting the use of such public ways from the Township pursuant to Article II of this chapter. Any telecommunications carriers who desire to construct, install, operate, maintain, or otherwise locate small wireless facilities in, under, over or across any public way of the Township shall first obtain a license granting the use of such public ways from the Township pursuant to Article VI of this chapter.
Any person found guilty of violating, disobeying, omitting, neglecting or refusing to comply with any of the provisions of this chapter shall be punishable as provided in Chapter 1, Article II, General Penalty. A separate and distinctive offense shall be deemed committed each day on which a violation occurs or continues.
Nothing in this chapter shall be construed as limiting any judicial remedies that the Township may have, at law or in equity, for enforcement of this chapter.