(1) Legislative Intent.
(a) The purpose of this section is to provide the Village of Port Chester the authority to accommodate and regulate necessary utility infrastructure for the provision of wireless telecommunications facilities within the Village, to encourage the siting of wireless telecommunications facilities in nonresidential areas on existing structures, to address the safety, visual and aesthetic aspects of wireless telecommunications facilities and to provide for public input in the process of siting wireless telecommunications antenna towers.
(b) The Board of Trustees finds that the regulation of wireless telecommunications facilities is necessary to protect the predominantly suburban residential character of the Village and the property values of the community; such regulation is needed to protect schools, parks, churches, playgrounds and historic structures; to preserve scenic areas; to minimize aesthetic impacts; to preserve the health and safety of residents; and to respect the need of wireless telecommunications service providers to relay signals without electronic interference from other service providers' operations, while not unreasonably limiting competition among them.
(c) The Board of Trustees declares that the protection of residential areas of the Village is of paramount importance and that any local regulations of wireless telecommunications facilities must furnish all possible protection for residential areas, and further declares that the provisions of this section are to be interpreted to favor protection of residential areas. The Planning Commission shall, before issuing any Special Exception Use approval for a wireless telecommunications facility in residential areas, satisfy itself that all other alternatives have been exhausted.
(d) In general, consolidations, shared use and collocation of antennas and antenna-mounting structures are preferred to the construction of new facilities.
(2) Bulk Regulations and Height.
(a) In all zoning districts, all wireless telecommunications facilities shall comply with yard requirements of this chapter for Principal Buildings. No wireless telecommunications facilities may be located between the Principal Building and the street.
(b) In the CD-3, CD-3.R20, CD-3.R7, CD-3.R5, CD-4, CD-5W, SD-PRD, and CV Districts, wireless telecommunications facilities shall not exceed 50 feet in height unless the requirements of
§ 345-405W.(14)(c) are met. In the SD-PMU, CD-5, CD-6, and CD-6T Districts, wireless telecommunications facilities shall not exceed 100 feet in height unless the requirements of Subsection W(14)(c) below are met. These height requirements shall supersede those of this chapter.
(c) Notwithstanding anything stated herein, the Planning Commission shall be permitted to increase the height of any tower beyond any limitations set forth herein in order to accommodate additional users. In reviewing a request for greater height, the Planning Commission shall balance the effect of a greater height against the provision of one or more additional towers, collocating or other alternatives.
(d) In the CD-3, CD-3.R20, CD-3.R7, CD-3.R5, CD-4, CD-5W, SD-PRD, and CV Districts, wireless telecommunications towers and monopoles shall be separated from residential buildings on adjacent or abutting properties for a distance by not less than two times the height of the tower or monopole. This provision shall apply to the proposed use for wireless telecommunications facilities of towers or monopoles existing at the time of adoption of
Chapter 345: Zoning.
(3) Landscaping Requirements. For any new wireless telecommunications towers, landscaping shall be provided as follows:
(a) In determining the most appropriate landscaping to be provided, the Planning Commission shall consider the visual impact of the proposed facility in its setting with regard to immediate proximity of observers, the sight lines from major viewing points and from those features identified in § 345-405W(16).
(b) The area surrounding the installation shall be landscaped and maintained with paving, shrubs and ground cover consistent with the surrounding community character.
(c) Any buildings or other equipment shelters associated with the antenna facility shall be landscaped with evergreen trees or shrubs of sufficient size and density to screen, in whole or part, and effectively mitigate the appearance of the structures and buildings. Any antenna facility requiring a tower or pole shall plant trees around the facility of a minimum height of 10 feet at planting that will, over time, reduce the visual impact from the tower or pole.
(d) When a security fence is required, the outside of such fencing shall be landscaped with evergreen shrubs, trees or climbing evergreen material on the fencing or may contain wooden slats woven into the fence so as to mitigate and minimize the industrial character of the fence.
(e) An existing natural vegetative buffer which meets or exceeds the above requirements can be retained to meet the landscape requirements set forth above.
(4) Color and Lighting Standards. Except as specifically required by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) or the FCC, antennas, including the supporting structure and all related appurtenances, shall:
(a) Be colored to reduce the visual impact to the greatest degree possible.
(b) Not be illuminated, except that buildings may use lighting required by the New York State Fire Prevention and Building Code or when required for security reasons. When lighting is used, it shall be compatible with the surrounding neighborhood to the greatest degree practicable.
(5) Fencing and NIER Warning Signs.
(a) The area surrounding the facility shall:
[1] Be fenced or otherwise secured in a manner which prevents unauthorized access by the general public to areas where the standards of any federal or state agency are exceeded.
[2] Contain appropriate signage to warn of areas of the site where:
[a] NIER standards are exceeded.
[b] High risks for shocks or burns exist.
(b) For wall-mounted antennas, the signage shall be placed no more than five feet off the ground.
(c) No other signage, including advertising, shall be permitted at the facility, antenna or tower or supporting structure, unless required by law.
(6) NIER Exposure Standards. No antenna or combination of antennas shall expose the general public to NIER levels exceeding the standard of any federal or state agencies having jurisdiction. In addition, no antenna facility shall emit radiation such that the general public will be exposed to shock and burn in excess of the standards contained in ANSI C-95.1.
(7) Registration of Antenna Operators. The Building Department shall keep a list of the names, addresses, type and maximum emissions of all antenna operators in the Village. This list shall be maintained from applications to the Planning Commission and Building Department and from FCC or similar inventories of facilities in the Village. If the name or address of the owner or operator of the antenna facility is changed, the Building Department shall be notified of the change within 30 days.
(8) Performance Standards for New Antennas. New antennas must comply with the following performance standard that the estimated or measured NIER from a proposed antenna, when added to existing radio frequency electromagnetic radiation from existing sources, will not exceed the guidelines set forth in the applicable federal and state standards.
(9) Existing Installations. Any wireless telecommunications facility legally existing at the time that this chapter takes effect shall be permitted to continue, provided that the facility complies with the standards adopted by the Federal Communications Commission and all requirements of this chapter, as certified by a professional engineer with qualifications acceptable to the Village of Port Chester.