| §174-8.11
WCS Wireless Communication Service District. |
A.
PURPOSE. The purpose of this section is to establish a
district in which wireless communications services may
be provided while protecting, to the greatest extent possible,
public health, safety and the general welfare. Specifically,
the Wireless Communications Services District has been
created to (a) protect the general public from hazards
associated with wireless communications towers, and (b)
minimize visual impacts from wireless communications towers
on residential districts within Southborough. For the
purposes of this section, "wireless communications
services" shall mean the provision of the following
types of services: cellular telephone service, personal
communications and enhanced specialized mobile radio service.
Such services, it is anticipated, will be provided via
wireless communications towers, including antennas and
accessory structures, if any.
B.
LOCATION. The Wireless Communications Services District
shall be located on all land owned by the Town of Southborough
which is held in the care, custody, management and control
of the Board of Selectmen, School Committee and Conservation
Commission, and all land located in Highway Business Districts,
Industrial Districts, and Industrial Park Districts. The
Wireless Communications Services District shall be construed
as an overlay district with regard to said locations.
All requirements of the underlying zoning district shall
remain in full force and effect, except as may be specifically
superseded herein.
C.
SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS. As part of any application for
a permit, applicants shall submit, at a minimum, the information
required for site plan approval, as set forth herein in
§ 174-10, as may be amended. Applicants shall also
describe the capacity of the tower, including the number
and types of antennas that it can accommodate and the
basis for the calculation of capacity, and any accessory
structures.
D.
USE RESTRICTIONS. A wireless communications tower (including
antennas and accessory structures, (if any) may be erected
in a Wireless Communications Services District upon the
issuance of a special permit by the Board of Appeals pursuant
to § 174-9, subject to site plan approval, as set
forth herein at § 174-10, as may be amended, and
subject to all of the following conditions:
1.
To the extent feasible, all service providers shall co-locate
on a single tower. Towers shall be designed to structurally
accommodate the maximum number of foreseeable users (within
a ten (10) year period) technically practicable.
2.
New towers shall be considered only upon a finding by
the Board of Appeals that existing or approved towers
cannot accommodate the wireless communications equipment
planned for the proposed tower.
3.
In no event shall any such tower be located closer to
two (2) miles to any other such tower.
4.
Tower height shall not exceed Seventy Five (75) feet above
the existing terrain.
5.
A tower shall not be erected nearer to any property line
than a distance equal to the vertical height of the tower
(inclusive of any appurtenant devices), measured at the
mean finished grade of the tower base.
6.
To the extent feasible, all network interconnections from
the communications site shall be via land lines.
7.
Existing on-site vegetation shall be preserved to the
maximum extent practicable.
8.
The tower shall minimize, to the extent feasible, adverse
visual effects on the environment. The Board of Appeals
may impose reasonable conditions to ensure this result,
including painting and lighting standards.
9.
Traffic associated with the tower and accessory facilities
and structures shall not adversely affect abutting ways.
10.
Applicants proposing to erect wireless communications
towers, accessory facilities and structures on municipally-owned
land or structures shall provide evidence of contractual
authorization from the Town of Southborough to conduct
wireless communications services on municipally-owned
property.
E.
NON USE. All unused towers or parts thereof or accessory
facilities and structures which have not been used for
two (2) years shall be dismantled and removed at the owner's
expense.
F.
EXEMPTIONS. Towers used for the purposes set forth in
M.G.L.c.40A, Section 3. are exempt from the provisions
of this Section. |
