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HomeMy WebLinkAboutA001 - Council Action Form dated March 6, 2018 ITEM # 28 DATE: 03/06/18 COUNCIL ACTION FORM SUBJECT: WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS FACILITIES TEXT AMENDMENT BACKGROUND: The operation of wireless communication facilities are licensed and regulated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The principal law regarding regulation- of personal wireless services is the Telecommunications Act of 1996, which among others things, sets forth the policy of the federal government to promote deployment of personal wireless services. To date, local authority regarding the siting of new wireless facilities has been preserved when a local government does not act as a barrier to providing wireless service consistent with the intent and provisions of the 1996 Telecommunications Act. However, in the past two years, a city's ability to regulate construction of wireless transmission facilities and the manner in which a city permits alterations of existing wireless facilities has come under state regulation that further limits local authority. Due to these recent-changes, modifications to the City's standards and process for review of wireless facilities are needed. In 2015, the federal government and Iowa legislature independently adopted new rules and legislation relating to how cities can regulate wireless transmission facilities. In summary of the two Iowa Code changes, a city can no longer consider issues of technology or business needs (e.g. proposed location or coverage objectives) for a new wireless tower. The laws also allow for modifications to existing facilities that are not substantial changes as defined by state law. Small wireless facilities as defined by state law that are within the right-of-way or on public structures are to be approved with administrative review when they are similar in size and appearance to other utility poles and structures. The state law changes also allow for placement of any type of wireless telecommunications equipment, not just personal wireless, as addressed by federal law. Additionally, cities must act in specified time periods, otherwise an application will be deemed approved. To address the recent changes in state law, staff has drafted new standards for the City's wireless communication facility standards of Section 29.1307 of the Ames Municipal Code. The proposed changes principally address definitions and the approval process for wireless facilities with some changes to development standards. Due to the 2017 changes concerning permits in the right-of-way, staff also recommends that the Zoning Ordinance standards do not apply to the right-of-way and that the ,City establish separate processes and standards for right-of-way within Chapter 22A (Rights of Way) of the Municipal Code. Chapter 22A amendments would occur subsequent to the Zoning Ordinance changes. r _ Ames allows for wireless telecommunication facilities in all zoning districts and the current zoning ordinance does not distinguish between locations in the right-of-way and private property. New towers are also allowed in all zoning districts subject to approval of a Special Use Permit by the Zoning Board of Adjustment, based upon the height of the tower exceeding 50 feet. Most commonly, new towers in the past five years in Ames have been between 120 and 150 feet in height and can host two to three wireless service providers. In specialty situations, towers may be lower in height and host only one carrier due to site size and setbacks. Alterations to existing facilities or co-location on existing structures are administrative staff approvals provided that the alteration to a tower is minor in nature. For example, placing wireless equipment on a water tower that already exceeds 50 feet in height does not trigger a special use permit review nor does placing an additional carrier's equipment on an existing tower. The City's current ordinance was adopted in 2000 and was based on the premise of supporting deployment of wireless services through a preference for co-location of wireless antennas on existing facilities and to minimize the number of new towers built in the city. Part of the criteria for a new tower was to consider the need for the service and if it was feasible to co-locate the facility in lieu of building a new tower. The basic standards for siting a tower are setbacks based upon height, screening of ground equipment, monopole construction, and no inference with airport operations. In large part, these standards are maintained in the proposed new ordinance, except for the ability to consider other co-location opportunities before constructing new towers. Development standards modified with the proposed text amendment are to require a setback of 50% of the tower height, rather than a minimum of 60 feet or 50% of the height, eliminate the parking requirement, and include a quarter mile separation standard if the design does not incorporate "stealth" aesthetic treatments. A new section has been created to allow for temporary installations that do not trigger full site improvement standards. Staff has attached an addendum below that describes the changes being made to Section .29.1307. The complete draft ordinance is also attached. PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION At the January 17t" Planning-& Zoning Commission meeting the commission voted 4-0 to recommend approval of the proposed new standards for Wireless Communications Facilities with small wireless facility placement in rights-of-way addressed in Chapter 22A. ALTERNATIVES: 1. The City Council can approve on first reading changes to Chapter 29 zoning standards for wireless communications facilities and direct the City Attorney to prepare amendment to Chapter 22A for wireless permitting standards within the right-of-way. 2. The City Council can approve alternative language governing standards for wireless communications facilities. 3. The City Council can request additional information from staff and defer action on this item. CITY MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED ACTION: Although the City already permitted and encouraged co-location with administrative review, the proposed changes are needed to fully comply with recent changes in state law. Staff believes that addressing right-of-way installation via Chapter 22A and addressing private property installation via.Chapter 29.1307 provides the appropriate level of review to ensure compliance with requirements and to avoid confusion of setback and spacing requirements. The proposed changes to development standards are minor for new wireless towers and are designed to facilitate smaller tower designs with more compatible visual aesthetics. Therefore, it is the recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council approve Alternative #1 which is to adopt new language governing wireless communications facilities within Chapter 29 and address right-of-way installation within Chapter 22A. ADDENDUM Proposed Text Amendments To clarify the applicability of the state law changes, staff describes below the changes that are mandatory and as they related to rights-of-way and to private property sites. Staff has listed out what review procedures city can or must abide by based on whether a facility is proposed on private property or within public rights-of-way. Wireless Facilities on Private Property The city's ability to require a Special Use Permit for siting of a wireless facility on private property varies based on what is proposed as a new installation or modification. These points are highlights of when the city can require a Special Use Permit and when it cannot. The city may require a Special Use Permit under state law when a wireless provider proposes to site a wireless facility in the following manner and are incorporated into the draft text amendment. • A public structure that does not currently support wireless communications equipment such as a public building or a water tower. • A new tower that exceeds 50 feet in height • A new small wireless facility on private .property in an exclusive single-family residential zone, such as RL, FS-RL, F-PRD, Village, or Historic District. • Co-locating a small wireless facility in a zone that is exclusively single-family residential, such as RL, FS-RL, F-PRD, Village, or Historic District. • When co-locating with an existing wireless facility or support structure causing a change to the height or size of the structure by more than 10% or 20 feet (whichever is greater). The city cannot require a Special Use Permit when a wireless provider proposes to site a wireless facility in the following manner: • Locating a small wireless communications facility on a public structure that already supports wireless communications equipment. • A new wireless communications structure that is less than 50 feet in height (optional standard). • When co-locating a small wireless facility with existing wireless communications equipment in any zone that is not exclusively single family residential zone, such as the RL, FS-RL, F-PRD, Village, or a Historic District. • When co-locating with an existing wireless facility or support structure causing a change to the height or size of the structure by less than 10% or 20 feet (whichever is greater). Wireless Facilities in the Public Right-of-Way The current zoning standards do not differentiate tower standards between rights-of- way and private property. The new state laws address specific requirements in relation to rights-of-way and utility poles. It is important to note that state law includes an expansive definition of Utility Pole to include almost any type of existing pole in the right of way or any new pole that is similar to a pole within 500 feet of the new pole. The placement of wireless facilities in public right-of-way is generally limited to "small wireless facilities" as defined by state law, antennas less than six cubic feet and equipment less than 28 cubic feet. Staff proposes that the standards for review and approval of small wireless facilities in the right-of-way be moved to Chapter 22A of the Municipal Code and out of the Zoning Ordinance for ease of administration by staff. The city may require a Special Use Permit for the siting of a wireless facility within public right-of-way in the following manner: • When siting small wireless communications equipment in the public right-of-way in an exclusive single family residential zone, such as RL, FS-RL, F-PRD, Village, or Historic District (optional standard). • Changes to existing towers or utility poles that are substantial changes or do not meet the definition of a small wireless facility (optional). The city cannot require a Special Use Permit for the siting of a small wireless facility within public rights of way in the following manner: • Placement of wireless communications equipment on existing utility poles that are not a substantial change. • Placement of small wireless communications equipment (including support structure of a new utility pole) within the public right-of-way in any zone that is not exclusively single family residential zone, such as the RL, FS-RL,F-PRD, Village, or a Historic District. Changes to Wireless Facility Review Processes and Development standards The proposed zoning text amendment includes revisions to the definitions, approval standards and the application process. These revisions have been written with recent legislative changes in mind. Applications Staff has defined a new application process to distinguish between obtaining a Special Use Permit from the Zoning Board of Adjustment and those that may be administratively approved. The design standards will be the same for each permit, but the Special Use Permit general criteria will not apply to the administrative wireless permits. The primary threshold for determining a special use permit or administrative approval is the 50-foot tall tower height or if the facility is a co-location or small wireless facility. Staff recommends adding a requirement for visual simulations for new towers to accompany required site plan and architectural plans. All applications for Special Use Permits for new towers must be considered within 150 days of submission. Any application for a substantial change on an existing tower must be acted upon within 90 days of submission. Small Wireless facility applications must also be acted upon within 90 days of submission. Staff recommends creating an application to address temporary cell site installations that would last for less than six months. Requests for temporary installations are usually associated with events, such as football games, where additional capacity is needed but not justified for a long term investment. Temporary towers would be exempt from most other standards and only subject to Zoning Board of Adjustment Special Use Permit approval if such towers exceed 50 feet in height. Staff is also proposing that temporary e A towers be prohibited in all residential zones. Separation & Design The standards for co-location preference have been deleted as necessitated for conformance to state law. The proposed text amendment does contain a new provision which establishes a separation requirement between towers of a minimum of one quarter mile with an exception for towers designed to be architecturally compatible with its surroundings or a stealth design. Design options such as bell towers, trees or other aesthetically pleasing architectural features help camouflage the appearance of a tower and can thus be considered as having much less visual disruption to the area. The separation standard does not apply to facilities located in the right-of-way. Staff recommends adjusting the setback standard for new towers. Staff recommends deleting the 60-foot minimum requirement and rely solely upon the 50% of the tower height standard. Staff believes this change would act as a small incentive to construct lower height towers since the setback would then be less for lower height towers. Staff recommends deleting the requirement for a paved parking space with each facility. The proposed design cannot'interfere with other required parking on a site. Access to facility must meet paving requirements unless approved by the Zoning Board of Adjustment with a Special Use Permit. This change allows for consideration of the need for paved access and parking for remotely located sites and minimize site disturbance. Painting &Visual Aesthetics The proposed standards outline methods that are meant to encourage compatible visual aesthetics and address the visual impact of large towers in prominent locations. Towers shall maintain a galvanized steel finish of gray or white. The base station related to support structures and towers shall be screened with material consisting of colors, textures and landscaping that blend them into the natural surroundings. Conduit or cable must be concealed on towers. The proposed standards emphasize consideration of stealth techniques and flush mount systems adjacent to residential uses, prominent commercial areas and entryways into the City. Monopole designs are permitted throughout the City for new towers. Lattice or guyed wire towers are prohibited unless located within industrial zoning districts.