3.18.710 Principles and approach.
Small wireless facilities (SWFs) have some characteristics that differ from some other wireless technologies that can have larger poles or towers, large arrays of antennas, and associated equipment buildings near the base, often fenced and screened with landscaping
Deployment of small wireless facilities (SWF) and “densification” of these wireless networks within the right-of-way can lead to a greater number of facilities located in some of the most visible locations in the community, within the same physical spaces occupied by residents and visitors alike. While these smaller deployments do not have the same types of buildings that would be infeasible in these locations, they do have antennas, cabling, and equipment enclosures.
These standards are intended to ensure the aesthetics of these installations are addressed. In addition, these standards are intended to ensure the associated equipment does not interfere with the use and enjoyment of the public right-of-way for people. In pedestrian-oriented areas, equipment cabinets must not occupy and compete for portions of the sidewalk area and pedestrian furnishing zones used by people and for pedestrian amenities. Further, in areas where people stroll, dine, and window shop, aesthetic considerations and experience are a high priority. Street furnishings, lighting, and fixtures are often selected and located for intentional aesthetic effect and comfort to enhance the experience of the district.
In other areas, poles and streetlights are often located along a street within a planter strip between the curb and sidewalk, or within the sidewalk area at intersections. These planter strips are also used and crossed by driveways and utilities that provide access and services to abutting homes and businesses. There can be conflicts that require separation between trees and driveways, utility services, poles, etc. Further, equipment boxes, cabinets, and vaults can displace areas available for planting, which is what these planter strips are designed for. In denser areas, space between curb cuts may be extremely limited. These shared-use spaces should not be inundated with additional poles and equipment enclosures that further limit tree-planting areas, displace areas intended for planting living groundcover, or require excessive pruning of trees and landscaping. At intersections, sidewalk areas and intersection crossing ramps should not be obstructed with additional poles and equipment enclosures that obstruct pedestrians.
These standards are intended to ensure the usable area within the public right-of-way is maximized for the intended use for public use and enjoyment and to ensure that trees and landscaping are not unnecessarily displaced or limited from the places designed and intended for planting.
As a result, these standards focus on maintaining high-quality aesthetic standards for the right-of-way, reducing visual clutter, and reducing physical clutter that would unnecessarily displace areas for people, amenities for people, and landscaping from places designed for them within the right-of-way.
To the extent possible, these standards achieve objectives with the following priorities:
A. Require co-location on existing poles that already serve an existing use, or replacement poles, which are designed by the manufacturer to accommodate the additional use of the poles for SWFs, and designed to match existing poles with unobtrusive antennas, and with internal cabling and internally integrated equipment cabinets.
B. Avoid installations within the most visually and aesthetically sensitive pedestrian-oriented areas. When unavoidable in these areas, prioritize installation on less visible cross-streets or secondary streets.
C. Avoid installations on pole types which would undesirably alter the desired aesthetic effect, such as an antenna mounted on top of a single “acorn” or “lantern” type streetlight. Avoid installations that would require replacement of decorative poles with a replacement pole if there are no equivalent matching replacement pole designs available from the manufacturer.
D. When also authorized by the pole owner, authorize installations on wood utility poles with unobtrusive antennas, with equipment and cabling screened behind equipment shrouds, and with cabling routed to the ground in conduit.
E. Separate external above-ground equipment enclosures are generally prohibited except when associated with authorized installations on wood poles where equipment may not be accommodated internally, and where a replacement pole with internal equipment accommodation is not feasible.
Above-ground equipment enclosures are the last resort if the small wireless facility cannot be installed elsewhere and if the equipment enclosure cannot be pole-mounted or located in an underground vault based on any separate requirements of the pole owner or power provider.
When authorized as the last resort, such enclosures shall generally be located behind the sidewalk, and not within the sidewalk area or planter strip between the curb and sidewalk. Above-ground equipment enclosures shall not be located within pedestrian-oriented areas. Therefore, installations requiring separate above-ground enclosures shall not be permitted within pedestrian-oriented areas. In the event this would conflict with any FCC requirement, the city may require use of stealth designs that also co-locate the cabinets with pedestrian amenities that do not occupy additional sidewalk or planting area. (Examples are available in manufacturer catalogs and include equipment cabinets co-located with trash receptacles, etc.).
F. Over time, the city may review these standards and other design guidelines and specifications for special districts and public facilities to determine whether new standards and technologies may warrant changes such as specification of new “smart pole” type designs to address emerging technologies for small wireless facilities and other “smart city” technologies and applications. (Ord. 5067 §1 (Exh. A (part)), 2019).