General

1. All portions of the facility must be the minimum size necessary to support operation of the facility, as certified by the provider’s licensed engineer. Where multiple facilities are proposed to be located in close proximity, they may be required to be consolidated in one equipment housing structure.

2. Owners and operators must provide information regarding the opportunity for the colocation of facilities. Provision for future colocation may be required if technically feasible and where opportunities for smaller facilities with fewer impacts are limited due to topography, lack of existing aboveground structures or other circumstances.

Antennas (including small wireless facilities)

1. In general, an antenna array must either be flush mounted within 12 inches of the support structure, or within 12 inches of the face of the building it is attached to; or be contained in a canister that is a continuation of the support structure and is centered on top of the support structure; or be placed pursuant to the city’s adopted design standards, subject to the concealment requirements below.

2. All antennas or arrays must be a color and material that matches the support structure.

3. Roof-mounted installation is permitted when the city’s adopted design and the Appearance and Screening requirements below have been met. The antennas, mounting brackets and any concealment structures are exempt from the height limit of the underlying zone to the extent that the total height of such facilities does not increase the overall building height by 18 feet, or 50 percent of the original building height, whichever is less.

Equipment Cabinets, Shelters, and Undergrounding

1. All equipment necessary for the operation of the facility must be concealed, either within an existing building, within an architecturally compatible addition to an existing building, or within a new building which is architecturally compatible with other buildings on the site and adjoining properties; or located underground with exceptions as stated in AMC Chapter 15.32, and excepting equipment cabinets and shelters, which may be located aboveground, and landscaped and screened pursuant to the city’s typical landscaping requirements.

2. This section does not apply to antennas or other facilities that are required to remain aboveground in order to be functional, or if it would otherwise materially inhibit wireless service.

3. Underground shelters are not allowed where such shelters would interfere with existing uses of public land including, but not limited to, public rights-of-way. Equipment enclosures less than or equal to five cubic feet, with no single dimension over three feet, may be mounted directly on a monopole or utility pole. These dimension limitations do not apply to small wireless facilities.

4. Equipment cabinets and shelters are permitted upon abutting private property and may be located within public rights-of-way, pursuant to the applicable requirements and obtaining the appropriate permits specified in AMC Chapter 5.38.

5. The size of equipment cabinets and shelters must be minimized to the greatest extent possible.

6. Prefabricated concrete and metal structures for equipment enclosures are not permitted unless treated with a facade giving the appearance of masonry or wood siding and are compatible with the existing neighborhood and surrounding setting.

Appearance and Screening

The following standards must be met to ensure the facility minimizes its visual impact:

1. Design and configurations must be compatible with the existing neighborhood, blend in with the surrounding setting, and/or be screened from surrounding uses and properties.

2. Design and configurations must minimize visual intrusion of the facility on surrounding uses and properties. Such techniques may include, for example: containing transmission and power cables and other conduit within any support structure, locating facilities underground, or otherwise screening the facility; minimizing the lateral projection of antenna arrays to the greatest extent technically feasible; and integrating antenna arrays into the design of any structure to which they are attached.

3. Facilities on private property must be screened through the use of mature trees that are a minimum of 20 feet tall and planted to screen at least 80 percent of the area around the facility, if technically feasible.

4. For stealth supported structures, the structure must be designed to resemble an object that would be commonly found in the area, including, but not limited to, a flagpole, a clock or bell tower, a tree that is a native conifer species, or a silo. Antennas, to the maximum extent feasible, must be concealed by the stealth support structure, or must not be easily recognized. To determine feasibility, the applicant must submit an engineer’s report regarding the feasibility of concealing the antennas.

Noise

Noise reduction measures must comply with the city and/or federal noise regulations, whichever demonstrates the least amount of noise impact for the nearest residential dwelling(s) at any time of day or night, as measured from the closest point from the exterior of the dwelling to the wireless facility. Such requirements are exempt during testing of alternative power sources (i.e., power generators or similar emergency power sources).

Landscaping

1. Facilities and/or equipment cabinets must be surrounded with a minimum of four-feet-wide landscaping, in the applicable zones set forth in the city’s general zoning provisions, if technically feasible.

2. Towers must be landscaped with a buffer of plant materials that effectively screen the view of the tower compound from properties used for residences, if technically feasible. In some cases, natural growth around the property perimeter may provide a sufficient buffer.

3. Existing mature tree growth and natural land forms on the site must be preserved to the maximum extent possible.

Setbacks

1. In residential zones, towers, antennas, monopoles, and other wireless facilities and equipment pertaining thereto must not be closer than the greater of 20 feet or 100 percent of the tower height from the adjoining lot line.

2. In nonresidential zones, facilities must comply with the setback requirements set forth in the applicable zoning code, AMC Title 17, and meet or exceed the city or federal noise regulations, whichever demonstrates the least amount of noise impact for the nearest residential dwelling(s), as measured from the closest point from the exterior of the dwelling to the facility.

3. The setback may be reduced if the applicant uses noise abatement techniques, such as decorative noise walls, to achieve equivalent or greater reduction of visual and noise impacts from the facility.

4. For colocations, new equipment associated with the facility must be placed no closer to existing residential uses than any existing equipment enclosure on the subject property.

5. These setback requirements do not apply to SWFs in the ROW.

Spacing

1. In residential zones, towers and their antennas must not be closer than 200 feet or 100 percent of the tower height from the nearest residential dwelling(s), as measured from the closest point from the exterior of the dwelling to the facility.

2. In nonresidential zones, there are no spacing requirements.

3. The minimum spacing requirements herein will not apply if they have the effect of materially inhibiting wireless service.

New Monopoles (including small wireless facilities) and Stealth Wireless Support Structures

Any wireless service provider that proposes to construct a new monopole or stealth supported facility must provide, as part of its permit application, written findings from a qualified engineer which demonstrate that:

1. Either there are no other facilities reasonably available for colocation; or

2. Any existing facilities reasonably available are not technologically suitable for use by the applicant; and

3. The proposed monopole has been designed in a manner that will allow for the colocation of at least one additional antenna array on the structure, if technically feasible.

4. The height of the monopole may not exceed 120 feet or the height of similar structures permitted in the zone within which it is located, whichever is greater.

Colocating Monopoles or Utility Poles within Public Rights-of-Way

1. More than one facility may be colocated on any monopole, subject to the permits and technical feasibility.

2. Monopoles located within public rights-of-way must be located a minimum of 500 feet apart; a shorter distance may be approved if the applicant submits an engineering analysis and equipment specifications that demonstrate the reduced distance is necessary to provide adequate coverage and/or capacity.

3. Where a utility located upon a monopole requires vertical separation between its facilities and the antenna(s), the structure/pole and antenna may be raised or replaced with a taller structure to accommodate the minimum separation requirement, not to exceed 20 feet in the public right-of-way. Any additions must be constructed of similar materials, and have surface treatments which match the color and texture of the original facility.

Electric Transmission Towers or Utility Poles Outside Public Rights-of-Way

Where a utility located upon the support structure (such as an electric transmission tower) requires vertical separation between its facilities and the antenna(s), the structure/pole and antenna may be raised by a mount or replaced with a taller structure to accommodate the minimum separation requirement, not to exceed 30 feet. Any additions must be constructed of similar materials, and have surface treatments which match the color and texture of the original facility.

Playfield, Ball Field and Stadium Light Mounted Facilities

Only one facility is permitted on any playfield, ball field, or stadium light. Where lighted signs and illuminated areas are permitted, such illuminating devices must be shaded and directed so as not to be visible from any residentially zoned property.

Building Attached

The equipment for roof-mounted antennas within the OT zone must be located within the same building on which the antennas are located. This provision will not apply to small wireless facilities if it has the effect of materially inhibiting the provision of service.