17.130.240 Telecommunications facilities – Additional design and development standards for facilities in the public right-of-way.
A. Basic Requirements. Facilities located in the public right-of-way are subject to the design and development standards set forth in this section in addition to all design and development standards that apply to all facilities.
B. Right-of-Way Authority. An encroachment permit under Chapter 12.48 SMC must be obtained for any work in the public right-of-way. Only applicants authorized to enter the public right-of-way pursuant to State or Federal law or a franchise or other agreement with the City shall be eligible for a permit to install or modify a wireless telecommunications facility in the public right-of-way.
C. Antennas.
1. Utility Poles. The maximum height of any antenna mounted to an existing utility pole shall not exceed 24 inches above the height of an existing utility pole, nor shall any portion of the antenna or equipment mounted on a pole be less than 18 feet above any drivable road surface. All installations on utility poles shall fully comply with the California Public Utilities Commission general orders, including, but not limited to, General Order 95, as revised.
2. Street Light Poles. The maximum height of any antenna mounted to a street light pole shall not exceed seven feet above the existing height of a street light pole in a location with its closest adjacent district being a commercial zoning district and shall not exceed three feet above the existing height of a street light pole in any other zoning district. Any portion of the antenna or equipment mounted on such a pole shall be no less than 18 feet above any drivable road surface.
D. Poles.
1. Only pole-mounted antennas shall be permitted in the right-of-way. All other telecommunications towers are prohibited, and no new poles are permitted that are not replacing an existing pole.
2. Pole height and width limitations:
a. All poles shall be designed to be the minimum functional height and width required to support the proposed antenna installation and meet FCC requirements. Poles and antennas and similar structures shall be no greater in diameter or other cross-sectional dimensions than is necessary for the proper functioning of the facility.
b. Notwithstanding the above, no facility shall be located on a pole that is less than 26 feet in height and no facility shall exceed 35 feet in height, including, but not limited to, the pole and any antenna that protrudes above the pole.
c. Pole-mounted equipment shall not exceed six cubic feet in dimension.
3. If an applicant proposes to replace a pole in order to accommodate the facility, the pole shall match the appearance of the original pole to the extent feasible, unless another design better accomplishes the objectives of this section. Such replacement pole shall not exceed the height of the pole it is replacing by more than seven feet.
4. If an exception is granted for placement of new poles in the right-of-way, new poles shall be designed to resemble existing poles in the right-of-way, including size, height, color, materials and style, with the exception of any existing pole designs that are scheduled to be removed and not replaced, unless another design better accomplishes the objectives of this section. Such new poles that are not replacement poles shall be located no closer than 90 feet to an existing pole.
E. Spatial Design. Facilities shall be designed to occupy the least amount of space in the right-of-way that is technically feasible.
F. Location.
1. Each component part of a facility shall be located so as not to cause any physical or visual obstruction to pedestrian or vehicular traffic, inconvenience to the public’s use of the right-of-way, or safety hazards to pedestrians and motorists.
2. A facility shall not be located within any portion of the public right-of-way interfering with access to fire hydrants, fire stations, fire escapes, water valves, underground vaults, valve housing structures, or any other vital public health and safety facility.
3. Facilities mounted to a telecommunications tower, aboveground accessory equipment, or walls, fences, landscaping or other screening methods shall be set back a minimum of 18 inches from the front of a curb.
4. Each pole-mounted wireless telecommunications facility must be separated by at least 1,500 feet.
5. All cables, including, but not limited to, electrical and utility cables, between the pole and any accessory equipment shall be placed underground, if feasible.
6. All new wires needed to service the wireless telecommunications facility must be installed within the width of the existing utility pole so as to not exceed the diameter and height of the existing utility pole.
G. Americans with Disabilities Act Compliance. All facilities shall be built in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
H. Accessory Equipment. To preserve community aesthetics, all accessory equipment (with the exception of the smallest possible electrical meter boxes and any other equipment that may not be so placed) shall be placed within an underground vault whenever there are no physical or site constraints to make an underground vault infeasible, except as may be determined by the reviewing authority. Equipment which may not be placed in an underground vault shall be pole-mounted to the extent feasible. When above ground is the only feasible location for a particular type of accessory equipment and when such accessory equipment cannot be pole-mounted, such accessory equipment shall be enclosed within a structure, and shall not exceed a height of five feet and a total footprint of 15 square feet, and shall be screened and camouflaged to the fullest extent possible, including the use of landscaping or alternate screening. Required electrical meter cabinets shall be adequately screened and camouflaged. Infeasibility under this paragraph shall not be demonstrated by mere cost to construct an underground vault or place the equipment within the vault.
I. Documentation. The applicant shall provide documentation satisfactory to the Planning Director establishing compliance with this section. (Ord. 1123 § 3 (Exh. A § 4), 2019)