18A.95.130 Collocation.
To minimize adverse visual impacts associated with the proliferation of towers, collocation of macro facilities on existing or new towers is promoted and encouraged as follows:
A. To reduce the number of antenna support structures needed in the City in the future, new proposed support structures shall be designed to accommodate antennas for more than one user, unless the applicant demonstrates why such design is not feasible for technical reasons.
B. Proposed facilities shall collocate onto existing towers wherever reasonably feasible. A new or additional administrative use or conditional use permit approval, as appropriate, is not required when a new service provider is added to an existing tower without modification or reconstruction of the tower. However, requirements for any and all other permits, licenses, leases, or franchise conditions must be satisfied, and the collocation must be accomplished in a manner consistent with the policies, siting and design criteria, and landscape and screening provisions contained in this section, as well as any applicable requirements of the original administrative use or conditional use permit and building permit.
C. An existing tower may be modified or rebuilt to a taller height to accommodate collocation of an additional antenna without a new or additional administrative use or conditional use permit, as appropriate, and without additional distance separation; provided, that:
1. The tower shall be of the same tower type as the existing tower, or of a less obtrusive design, such as a monopole.
2. The additional antenna shall be of a similar type as those on the existing tower;
3. The tower, if reconstructed, is placed on its existing site within fifty (50) feet of its existing location.
4. The tower conforms to or can be modified to conform to the applicable design and development standards in this section.
5. The tower is not located within a single-family or multifamily residential zone. A tower may not be increased in height without a new or additional administrative use or conditional use permit, as appropriate, in these zones.
D. The City may deny an application to construct new facilities if the applicant has not demonstrated by substantial evidence that a diligent effort has been made to collocate the facilities.
E. Collocation Height Increments. Collocated wireless service facilities are eligible for additional height allowances if collocation occurs according to certain height and usage criteria.
1. To qualify for collocation height increments, the minimum required number of service providers must either be co-applicants and/or have valid lease agreements with the applicant for collocation, at the time of application. However, space reserved for future collocations may qualify for a maximum of one (1) additional service provider for the purpose of height increments, when at least two (2) providers have already located facilities on the tower or have valid lease agreements for such location. Additional height resulting from a height increment shall not require an additional distance separation.
2. In cases of space reservation, a first right-of-refusal, which is either executed or maintained while the provider’s facilities and services are in use, to lease the area at the base of the tower and/or mount for other providers, will meet the reservation requirement. The site plan shall reserve area for other providers’ equipment near the base of the applicant’s tower.
3. The additional height increment allowed for two (2) or more providers is thirty (30) feet above the base height. The additional height increment allowed for three (3) or more providers is fifty (50) feet above the base height and, for four (4) or more providers, is seventy (70) feet above the base height.
F. No macro facility service provider or lessee or agent thereof shall fail to cooperate in good faith to accommodate collocation with competitors. If a dispute arises about the feasibility of collocating, the Community Development Director may require a third-party technical study, at the expense of either or both parties, to resolve the dispute. [Ord. 726 § 2 (Exh. B), 2019.]