Recommendations for Incentives

The current City and County zoning regulations include limited incentives for preferred siting techniques. Both ordinances require use on review approval for commercial telecommunications towers in all zoning districts. As an incentive to co-location, however, locating a wireless antenna on an existing tower, utility pole, tall building, or other structure is a "permitted use by right", requiring no use on review. In the County, as an incentive to locate long distances from residences, no use on review is required for a commercial telecommunications tower in an industrial or commercial zone if the tower will be 500 feet from a residential zone or a residence.

MPC staff recommends consideration of "permitted use by right" status for the following additional tower design and siting practices:

A. Antennas or antenna support structures approved as part of a use on review development plan for another development

Examples:

• A low monopole on a site reserved in an approved shopping center development plan;
• A stealth tower approved in a recreation area of a multi-family residential development;
• A system of low monopoles, similar in appearance to street light poles, located in street rights-of-way and approved as a feature of a single family residential development.

B. Antenna or antenna support structures on pre-approved sites owned by city, county, state or federal governments and utility districts

C. Monopoles less than 100 feet in height with low profile antennas that are no closer than 250 % of the tower height to any residence

D. "Stealth" towers or alternative tower structures less than 125 feet high and no closer than 250 % of the tower height to any residence

E. Monopoles less than 150 feet high and no closer than 500% of the tower height to any residence or residential zoning district

F. Towers and sites already specifically approved by the Planning Commission as part of a network plan submitted by a provider