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9.8. Wireless Communication Facility Definitions

This section is included in your selections.

The following definitions apply specifically to the administration, interpretation, and enforcement of the wireless communication facility regulations in Article 4: Wireless Communication Facilities.

Amateur Radio Tower

A tower used for noncommercial amateur radio transmissions consistent with the “Complete FCC U.S. Amateur Part 97 Rules and Regulations” for amateur radio towers.

Ancillary Structure

For the purposes of this Code, any form of development associated with a PWSF, including foundations, concrete slabs on grade, guy anchors, generators and transmission cable supports, but excluding equipment cabinets.

Antenna

Any apparatus designed for the transmitting and/or receiving of electromagnetic waves, including telephonic, radio or television communications. Types of elements include omni-directional (whip) antennas, sectionalized (panel) antennas, multi or single bay (FM and TV), yagi or parabolic (dish) antennas. An antenna includes at least one antenna element, typically a metal rod which is physical and electrically attached via feed lines to a transmitter/receiver.

Antenna Array

A single or group of antenna elements and associated mounting hardware, transmission lines or other appurtenances which share a common attachment device such as a mounting frame or mounting support structure for the sole purpose of transmitting or receiving electromagnetic waves.

ASR

The Antenna Structure Registration number as required by the FAA and FCC.

Base Station

Equipment and nontower supporting structure at a fixed location that enable wireless telecommunications between user equipment and a communications network. Examples include transmission equipment mounted on a rooftop, water tank, silo, or other above-ground structure other than a tower. The term does not encompass a tower as defined herein or any equipment associated with a tower. “Base station” includes, but is not limited to:

(a) Equipment associated with wireless telecommunications services such as private, broadcast and public safety services, as well as unlicensed wireless services and fixed wireless services such as microwave backhaul;

(b) Radio transceivers, antennas, coaxial or fiber optic cable, regular and backup power supplies, and comparable equipment, regardless of technological configuration (including distributed antenna systems and small-cell networks);

(c) Any structure other than a tower that, at the time the application is filed under this article, supports or houses equipment described in this definition that has been reviewed and approved under the applicable zoning or siting process, or under another City regulatory review process, even if the structure was not built for the sole or primary purpose of providing such support.

(d) “Base station” does not include any structure that, at the time the application is filed under this article, does not support or house any wireless communication equipment.

Breakpoint Technology

The engineering design of a monopole, or any applicable support structure, wherein a specified point on the monopole is designed to have stresses concentrated so that the point is at least five percent more susceptible to failure than any other point along the monopole so that in the event of a structural failure of the monopole, the failure will occur at the breakpoint rather than at the base plate, anchor bolts or any other point on the monopole.

Broadband Facility

Any infrastructure used to deliver broadband services or for the provision of broadband service.

Broadband Service

Any technology identified by the US Secretary of Agriculture as having the capacity to transmit data to enable a subscriber to the service to originate and receive high-quality voice, data, graphics and video. Broadband service includes:

Cable Service

The one-way transmission to subscribers of video programming or other programming services and subscriber interaction required for the selection or use of such video programming or other programming service.

Telecommunications Service

The offering of telecommunications for a fee directly to the public, or to such classes of users as to be effectively available directly to the public, regardless of the facilities used.

Wireless Service

Data and telecommunications services, including commercial mobile services, commercial mobile data services, unlicensed wireless service and common carrier wireless exchange access services, as all of these terms are defined by federal law and regulations.

Broadcasting Facility

A communications facility licensed by the Federal Communications Commission Media Bureau to transmit information on the AM, FM, TV, or DTV spectrum to the public.

Collocation

The mounting or installation of transmission equipment on an eligible support structure for the purposes of transmitting and/or receiving radio frequency signals for communications purposes so that installation of a new support structure will not be required.

Concealed

A tower, base station, ancillary structure or equipment compound that is not readily identifiable as a wireless communication facility and that is designed to be aesthetically compatible with existing and proposed building(s) and uses on a site or in the neighborhood or area. There are two types of concealed facilities:

(a) Base stations, including faux parapets, windows, dormers or other architectural features that blend with an existing or proposed building or structure; and

(b) A freestanding concealed tower which looks like something else that is common in the geographic region such as a church steeple, windmill, bell tower, clock tower, light standard or flagpole with a flag that is proportional in size to the height and girth of the tower or tree that grows naturally or is commonly found in the area.

DAS – Distributed Antenna System

A system consisting of:

(a) A number of remote communications nodes deployed throughout the desired coverage area, each including at least one antenna for transmission and reception;

(b) A high-capacity signal transport medium (typically fiber optic cable) connecting each node to a central communications hub site; and

(c) Radio transceivers located at the hub site (rather than at each individual node as is the case for small cells) to process or control the communications signals transmitted and received through the antennas.

DAS Hub

Ancillary equipment usually contained in a shelter or other enclosure which does not have any wireless transmission or receive equipment contained therein but is utilized in the deployment and operation of wireless DAS receive/transmit infrastructure that is located elsewhere.

Development Area

The area occupied by a wireless communications facility including areas inside or under an antenna support structure’s framework, equipment cabinets, ancillary structures and/or access ways.

Dual Purpose Facility

A banner pole, light stanchion, support tower for overhead electric lines or other similar utility structure onto which one or more antenna(s) are or can be mounted or attached.

Eligible Facilities Request

Any request for modification of an existing tower or base station involving collocation of new transmission equipment; removal of transmission equipment; or replacement of transmission equipment that is not a substantial change to the physical dimensions of such tower or base station.

Eligible Facility

Existing tower or base station that has been approved through a local government land use review process prescribed for the tower or base station.

Eligible Support Structure

Any tower or base station existing at the time the application is filed with the City.

Existing

A constructed tower or base station is “existing” for purposes of this article if it has been reviewed and approved under an applicable City land use review process. “Existing” also includes a tower that was lawfully constructed but not reviewed because it was not in a zoned area when it was built.

Equipment Compound

The fenced-in area surrounding, inside or under a ground-based wireless communication facility containing ancillary structures and equipment (such as cabinets, shelters and pedestals) necessary to operate an antenna that is above the base flood elevation.

Equipment Cabinet

Any structure used exclusively to contain equipment necessary for the transmission or reception of communication signals.

Equipment Shelter

A self-contained building housing ancillary electronic equipment typically including a generator.

FAA

The Federal Aviation Administration.

FCC

The Federal Communications Commission.

Feed Lines

Cables or fiber optic lines used as the interconnecting media between the base station and the antenna.

Geographic Search Ring

An area designated by a wireless provider or operator for a new base station and/or tower produced in accordance with generally accepted principles of wireless engineering.

Handoff Candidate

A wireless communication facility that receives call transference from another wireless facility, usually located in an adjacent first “tier” surrounding the initial wireless facility.

Includes/Including

Not limited to and is not a term of exclusion.

Macro

Any wireless communication facility larger than the dimensions and specifications defined for a small cell facility (macrocell).

Node

A single location as part of a larger antenna array which can consist of one or multiple antennas, such as part of a DAS network antenna array.

Nonconcealed

A wireless communications facility that is not concealed (whether freestanding or attached).

OTARD (Over-the-Air Reception Devices)

Limited to either a “dish” antenna one meter (39.37 inches) or less in diameter designed to receive direct broadcast satellite service, including direct-to-home satellite service, or to receive or transmit fixed wireless signals via satellite, or an antenna that is one meter or less in diameter and is designed to receive video programming services via broadband radio service (wireless cable), or to receive or transmit fixed wireless signals other than via satellite or an antenna that is designed to receive local television broadcast signals.

PWSF (Personal Wireless Service Facility)

Any staffed or unstaffed location for the transmission and/or reception of radio frequency signals or other personal wireless communications, including commercial mobile services, unlicensed wireless services, wireless broadband services, and common carrier wireless exchange access services as defined in the Telecommunications Act of 1996, and usually consisting of an antenna or group of antennas, transmission cables, feed lines, equipment cabinets or shelters, and may include a tower. Facilities may include new, replacement, or existing towers; replacement towers; collocation on existing towers; base station attached concealed and nonconcealed antenna; dual purpose facilities; concealed towers; and nonconcealed towers (monopoles, lattice and guyed), so long as those facilities are used in the provision of personal wireless services as that term is defined in the Telecommunications Act.

PWSF Site or Site

The land area that contains, or will contain, a tower or base station, equipment compound, support structures and other related buildings and improvements.

Public Property

Property owned by either the City or other local, state or federal governmental agency.

Qualified Collocation Request

Collocation of PWSF on a tower or base station that creates a substantial change in the facility but is entitled to processing within 90 days under 47 U.S.C. §332(c)(7).

Radio Frequency Emissions

Any electromagnetic radiation or other communications signal emitted from an antenna or antenna-related equipment.

Replacement

A modification of an existing tower to increase the height, or to improve its integrity, by replacing or removing one or several tower(s) located in proximity to a proposed new tower in order to encourage compliance with this article or improve aesthetics or functionality of the overall wireless network.

RFI (Radio Frequency Interference)

Any electromagnetic radiation or other communications signal that causes reception or transmission interference with another electromagnetic radiation or communications signal.

ROW (Right-of-Way)

The area on, below or above a public roadway, highway, street, sidewalk, alley or utility easement. ROW does not include a federal interstate highway, a state highway or state route under the jurisdiction of the Arizona Department of Transportation, a private easement, property that is owned by a special taxing district or a utility easement that does not specifically authorize deployment of wireless infrastructure.

Satellite Earth Station

A single or group of parabolic or dish antennas mounted to a support device that may be a pole or truss assembly attached to a foundation in the ground, or in some other configuration, including the associated separate equipment cabinets necessary for the transmission or reception of wireless communication signals with satellites.

SLDC

Sedona Land Development Code.

Small Cell Facility

A wireless communication facility outside of a ROW that meets all of the following qualifications:

(a) Each antenna is located inside an enclosure of no more than three cubic feet in volume, or, in the case of an antenna that has exposed elements, the antenna and all its exposed elements could fit within an enclosure of no more than three cubic feet;

(b) New poles for new small cells are no larger than eight inches in diameter as measured 36 inches above ground level; and

(c) Primary equipment enclosures are no larger than 17 cubic feet in volume. The following associated equipment may be located outside of the primary equipment enclosure and, if so located, is not included in the calculation of equipment volume: electric meter, concealment, telecommunications demarcation box, ground-based enclosures, backup power systems, grounding equipment, power transfer switch, vertical cable runs and cut-off switch.

Small Cell Network

A collection of interrelated small cell facilities designed to deliver wireless service.

Stanchion

A vertical support structure generally utilized to support exterior lighting elements.

Streamlined Processing

Expedited review process for collocations required by the federal government (Congress and/or the FCC) for PWSF.

Substantial Change

A modification or collocation constitutes a “substantial change” of an eligible support structure if it meets any of the following criteria:

(a) A PWSF collocation or modification of an existing antenna-supporting structure not in a ROW increases the overall height of the antenna-supporting structure, antenna and/or antenna array more than 10 percent or 20 feet, whichever is greater or, if a base station, by more than 10 percent or 10 feet, whichever is greater.

(b) A PWSF collocation for towers not in a ROW protrudes from the antenna-supporting structure more than 20 feet or the width of the structure at the elevation of the collocation, and for towers within a ROW, protrudes from the antenna-supporting structure more than six feet.

(c) A PWSF collocation on an existing antenna-supporting structure fails to meet current building code requirements (including wind loading).

(d) A PWSF collocation adds more than four additional equipment cabinets or one additional equipment shelter.

(e) A PWSF collocation requires excavation outside of existing leased or owned parcel or existing easements.

(f) A PWSF collocation defeats any existing concealment elements of the antenna-supporting structure.

(g) A PWSF collocation fails to comply with all conditions associated with the prior approval of the antenna-supporting structure except for modification of parameters as permitted in this article.

Support Structure

Anything constructed or erected, the use of which requires permanent location on the ground, or attachment to something having a permanent location on the ground.

Temporary PWSF

A temporary tower or other structure that provides interim short-term telecommunications needed to meet an immediate demand for service in the event of an emergency or a public event where a permanent wireless network is unavailable or insufficient to satisfy the temporary increase in demand or when permanent PWSF equipment is temporarily unavailable or offline.

Transmission Equipment

Equipment that facilitates transmission of communication service (whether commercial, private, broadcast, microwave, public, public safety, licensed or unlicensed, fixed or wireless), such as radio transceivers, antennas, coaxial or fiber-optic cable, and regular and backup power supply.

Tower

Any support structure built for the primary purpose of supporting any antennas and associated facilities for commercial, private, broadcast, microwave, public, public safety, licensed or unlicensed, and/or fixed or wireless services. A tower may be concealed or nonconcealed. Nonconcealed towers include:

Guyed

A style of tower consisting of a single truss assembly composed of sections with bracing incorporated. The sections are attached to each other, and the assembly is attached to a foundation and supported by a series of wires that are connected to anchors placed in the ground or on a building.

Lattice

A self-supporting tapered style of tower that consists of vertical and horizontal supports with multiple legs and cross bracing, and metal crossed strips or bars to support antennas.

Monopole

A style of freestanding tower consisting of a single shaft usually composed of two or more hollow sections that are in turn attached to a foundation. This type of tower is designed to support itself without the use of guy wires or other stabilization devices. These facilities are mounted to a foundation that rests on or in the ground or on a building’s roof. All feed lines shall be installed within the shaft of the structure.

Tower Base

The foundation, usually concrete, on which the tower and other support equipment are situated. For measurement calculations, the tower base is that point on the foundation reached by dropping a perpendicular from the geometric center of the tower.

Tower Height

The vertical distance measured from the grade line to the highest point of the tower, including any antenna, lighting, or other equipment affixed thereto.

Wireless Communication Facility

At a specific physical location, one or more antenna, tower, base station, mechanical and/or electronic equipment, conduit, cable, and associated structures, enclosures, assemblages, devices and supporting elements that generate or transmit nonionizing electromagnetic radiation or light operating to produce a signal used for communication, including but not limited to all types of transmission equipment defined further herein. Wireless communication facilities include amateur radio tower, base stations, DAS, OTARD, PWSF, satellite earth station, small cell facility, and temporary PWSF.