Covington Township Tioga County
City Zoning Code
City Zoning Code
PART 16
CELLULAR TELECOMMUNICATIONS REQUIREMENTS
§ 27-1601 Introduction.
[Ord. 12-10-12(E), 12/10/2012, § 27-1601]
Cellular telephone facilities are an important component of modern life and as such are a necessary land use. However, towers may be viewed as intrusions upon the landscape since they range from 75 feet to 150 feet in height. The challenge is to locate sites which are appropriate and yet compatible with surrounding land uses.
§ 27-1602 General.
[Ord. 12-10-12(E), 12/10/2012, § 27-1602]
1.
The following general provisions apply to all cellular telecommunications facilities:
A.
The location of the tower and equipment building shall comply with all natural resource standards of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and this chapter.
B.
The following buffer plantings shall be located around the perimeter of the security fence:
(1)
An evergreen screen shall be planted that consists of either a hedge, planted three feet on center maximum, or a row of evergreen trees planted 10 feet on center maximum.
(2)
Existing vegetation (trees and shrubs) shall be preserved to the maximum extent possible.
(3)
An eight-foot-high security fence shall completely surround the tower (and guy wires if used) and equipment building.
(4)
The tower shall be designed and constructed to applicable standards of the American National Standards Institute, ANS/EIA-222-E manual, as amended. It is the responsibility of the applicant to provide the Township with proof that these standards are being met.
(5)
A soil report complying with the standards of Appendix I: Geotechnical Investigations, ANS/EIA-222-E, as amended, shall be submitted to the Covington Township Supervisors to document and verify the design of the foundation for the tower and anchors for the guy wires if used. The cost of this report is the responsibility of the applicant.
(6)
All plans and drawings for the tower and antenna shall contain a signature and seal of a professional engineer a copy of which shall be given to the Township prior to any construction.
(7)
The tower and antenna shall be designed to withstand wind gusts of at least 100 miles per hour.
(8)
An antenna may not be located on a building or structure that is listed on a historic register or is in a historic district.
(9)
Cellular communications facilities may be combined with another use on a property with the existing use subject to the following conditions:
(a)
The existing use on the property may be any use in the district and need not be affiliated with the cellular telecommunications provider.
(b)
The cellular telecommunications facility shall be fully automated and unattended on a daily basis and shall be visited only for periodic maintenance.
(c)
The minimum lot size shall be the area needed to accommodate the tower and guy wires if used, the equipment building, security fence, and buffer planting.
(d)
An eight-foot-high security fence shall surround the cellular communications facility including any buildings and guy wires if used.
(10)
Cellular communications facilities may be attached to an existing structure or building subject to the following conditions:
(a)
Maximum height: 50 feet above existing building or structure.
(b)
The building shall comply with the minimum setback requirements for the subject zoning district and the tower shall be set back from any property line abutting another lot a distance at least equal to the height of the tower.
(c)
An eight-foot-high security fence shall surround the building and guy wires if used.
(11)
The applicant shall demonstrate the tower for the telecommunications facility is the minimum height necessary for the service area.
(12)
The applicant shall demonstrate that the telecommunications facility must be located where it is proposed in order to serve the applicant's service area.