Loading...
Item 3.8 Visual slideshow presented by Staff at MeetingRutan & Tucker, LLP | 611 Anton Blvd., Suite 1400, Costa Mesa, CA 92626 | 714-641-5100 | www.rutan.com Agenda Item 3.8 Ordinance Regulating Wireless Communication Facilities Rutan & Tucker, LLP | 611 Anton Blvd., Suite 1400, Costa Mesa, CA 92626 | 714-641-5100 | www.rutan.com Wireless Communication Facilities - Background •Wireless communication facilities (“WCFs”) --facilities on vertical infrastructure used to broadcast telecommunication signals. •Constantly changing technology and applicable law •City’s ability to regulate progressively constrained by state and federal law over past few decades 2 Rutan & Tucker, LLP | 611 Anton Blvd., Suite 1400, Costa Mesa, CA 92626 | 714-641-5100 | www.rutan.com 3 Rutan & Tucker, LLP | 611 Anton Blvd., Suite 1400, Costa Mesa, CA 92626 | 714-641-5100 | www.rutan.com State Regulation •Municipalities have the right to impose reasonable “time, place, and manner” restrictions on wireless providers when they access the public right-of-way. (PUC §7901.1(a).) •This authority must be “applied to all entities in an equivalent manner.” (PUC §7901.1(b).) •Case law confirms that regulations based on aesthetics are permitted •SB 649 attempting to limit discretion in public right-of-way rejected in 2017 4 Rutan & Tucker, LLP | 611 Anton Blvd., Suite 1400, Costa Mesa, CA 92626 | 714-641-5100 | www.rutan.com Federal Regulation •Federal law recognizes that the City retains its traditional zoning authority over wireless facility applications, but imposes a variety of different restrictions, including: –No discrimination between providers –No effective prohibition of services –Cannot regulate based on the environmental effects of radio frequency (“RF”) emissions to the extent that such facilities comply with the FCC’s regulations concerning such emissions 5 Rutan & Tucker, LLP | 611 Anton Blvd., Suite 1400, Costa Mesa, CA 92626 | 714-641-5100 | www.rutan.com Federal Regulation -FCC Order 6 •In September 2018, the FCC adopted an Order significantly restricting the regulation of small WCFs in the public right-of- way •“Small” WCFs are generally defined as: –antenna less than 3 cubic feet in volume –all other associated equipment is less than 28 cubic feet •Does not apply to private property Rutan & Tucker, LLP | 611 Anton Blvd., Suite 1400, Costa Mesa, CA 92626 | 714-641-5100 | www.rutan.com FCC Order –Restrictions Imposed 7 •Traditional “rent” eliminated -fees are only permitted to the extent that they are based reasonable approximation of the City’s reasonable and actual costs •Faster “shot clock” requirements (60 days / 90 days) •Staff level approval •Aesthetic Requirements –must be reasonable and objective •Effective Prohibition –new test: –Whether or not a regulation “materially limits or inhibits the ability of any competitor or potential competitor to compete in a fair and balanced legal and regulatory environment.” Rutan & Tucker, LLP | 611 Anton Blvd., Suite 1400, Costa Mesa, CA 92626 | 714-641-5100 | www.rutan.com Current City Regulations •CUP required for locations outside of the right-of-way (no change proposed) •Nothing specifically tailored to WCFs •Right-of-way permit (only related to construction) –Master license / encroachment agreement •MDRA in some cases 8 Rutan & Tucker, LLP | 611 Anton Blvd., Suite 1400, Costa Mesa, CA 92626 | 714-641-5100 | www.rutan.com Proposed Ordinance •Establishes a new “Wireless Communication Facility Permit” required for all WCFs in the public right-of-way •Allows the City to reasonably, objectively and comprehensively regulate all WCFs while complying with the FCC order, including shot clock requirement •Provides all objective requirements to carriers in advance of application submittal 9 Rutan & Tucker, LLP | 611 Anton Blvd., Suite 1400, Costa Mesa, CA 92626 | 714-641-5100 | www.rutan.com Defined Application Requirements & Approval Authority 10 •Application must meet clearly defined requirements –Submission of site plans, utility plans, specifications and the like •Approval authority is Director of Development Services •Appeal to Hearing Officer Rutan & Tucker, LLP | 611 Anton Blvd., Suite 1400, Costa Mesa, CA 92626 | 714-641-5100 | www.rutan.com Objective Siting/Aesthetic Requirements •Not permitted on overhead utility poles due to future undergrounding –Preference for existing street lights •50 feet from residential structures •Not permitted on school, daycare or park frontages •New poles not permitted within 75 feet of existing poles •50 feet, 10% taller than adjacent infrastructure, or 5 feet higher than existing pole 11 Rutan & Tucker, LLP | 611 Anton Blvd., Suite 1400, Costa Mesa, CA 92626 | 714-641-5100 | www.rutan.com Objective Siting/Aesthetic Requirements 12 •Various other setbacks for line of sight, emergency services, pedestrians •Replacement structure must be located within 5 feet of pre- existing structure •Colocation encouraged •Required to be architecturally integrated with support structures (including painting) and screened from view to the largest extent feasible •No ground mounting unless technically infeasible Rutan & Tucker, LLP | 611 Anton Blvd., Suite 1400, Costa Mesa, CA 92626 | 714-641-5100 | www.rutan.com Other Requirements •Indemnify the City •Continued maintenance and periodic inspections •Removal and restoration obligations •“Batch” approvals require master communications site license agreement 13 Rutan & Tucker, LLP | 611 Anton Blvd., Suite 1400, Costa Mesa, CA 92626 | 714-641-5100 | www.rutan.com Fees •Staff will bring back a resolution amending the City’s Master Fee Schedule •Reasonable approximation of the costs of processing the permit •FCC order per se reasonable fees: –$500 application fee for up to 5 WCFs, $100 for each additional –$1,000 application fee for new pole –$270 per year 14 Rutan & Tucker, LLP | 611 Anton Blvd., Suite 1400, Costa Mesa, CA 92626 | 714-641-5100 | www.rutan.com Comments from Wireless Carriers •Received comments from Verizon & AT&T •City has a reasonable and defensible basis for all portions of the Ordinance •Staff proposed a number of revisions to the Ordinance: –No independent verification of FCC compliance –Modified height restrictions –Modified emergency removal provisions –Modified 75 foot spacing requirement from other vertical infrastructure 15 Rutan & Tucker, LLP | 611 Anton Blvd., Suite 1400, Costa Mesa, CA 92626 | 714-641-5100 | www.rutan.com Future Changes •The Ordinance and wireless policies will be likely amended in the future, and should be seen as “living documents” •Pending federal legislation and legal challenge to the FCC Order –far from over 16 Rutan & Tucker, LLP | 611 Anton Blvd., Suite 1400, Costa Mesa, CA 92626 | 714-641-5100 | www.rutan.com 17 QUESTIONS?