Indian Wells City Zoning Code

The height of freestanding commercial antenna and wireless communications facilities shall be measured as prescribed in Section 21.90.060(e)(3)(ii) of the Antenna Ordinance.

Commercial antennas and wireless communication facilities that are proposed to be colocated may exceed the height limit set forth in Section 21.48.060(a) by fifteen (15) feet as prescribed in Section 21.90.060(e)(3)(iii) of the Antenna Ordinance.

The Applicant provides substantial evidence that there are no existing structures or freestanding wireless communication facilities within the geographic area of sufficient height to meet Applicant's requirements and the deficiency in height cannot be remedied at a reasonable cost; and

The Applicant provides substantial evidence that the extra height is necessary to avoid electromagnetic interference with other structures including existing wireless communications facilities within the geographic area; and

The Applicant provides written documentation, to the satisfaction of the Planning Commission/City Council, that the extra height is necessary to allow for future rearrangement of antennas and/or to accept additional antennas of other service providers; and

The Applicant's proposal complies with the design standards set forth in Section 21.48.060(d).

Any application to exceed the height standards set forth in Section 21.48.060 (a) shall apply for a Conditional Use Permit with a full public review process per Section 21.48.050 (b) of the Antenna Ordinance. Such applications shall only be approved after full public review and findings of fact based on the following criteria:

The Applicant's proposal cannot easily be distinguished as an commercial antenna and wireless communication facility and is disguised in a manner so it enhances the property and community, such as a flagpole, light standard, realistic grouping of palm trees, clock tower, or public art.

Freestanding commercial antenna and wireless communication facilities that are proposed to either replace or be incorporated onto existing light standards shall, to the greatest extent possible, mimic the height, width, color, finish, material, density and look of the existing light standards.

All freestanding commercial antenna and wireless communication facilities shall be required as part of the conditions of approval for Conditional Use Permits to cooperate with other service providers in the siting of equipment and antennas to accommodate the maximum number of operators at a given site where found to be feasible and aesthetically desirable. The Applicant shall provide a notarized Statement as to whether construction of their proposed freestanding commercial antenna will accommodate co-location of additional antennas for future users and if not why it will not. In the event co-location is represented to be not feasible, the City may retain a technical expert in the field of RF engineering to verify if co-location at the site is not feasible or is feasible given the design configuration most accommodating to co-location. The cost for such a technical expert will be at the expense of the applicant.

The Applicant's proposal is hidden from public view or designed to blend with existing structures in a manner so that it cannot easily be distinguished as a commercial antenna and wireless communication facility, such as a facade mounted antenna, chimney, building extension, or parapet addition.

Commercial antenna and wireless communications facilities that comply with the following shall be subject to the Administrative Review process, as described in Section 21.90.060(d)(3):

Commercial antenna and wireless communications facilities that do not meet the criteria specified in Section 21.48.070(a)(1) shall be subject to the Full Public Review process, as described in Section 21.06.040.

The applicant shall provide plans that substantially screen the proposed facility from view of surrounding properties and the public view or co-located with existing facilities or structures so as not to create substantial visual, noise or thermal impacts and will be consistent with the character of the surrounding development; and

The Applicant provides substantial evidence that there are no existing structures or freestanding wireless communication facilities within the geographic area of sufficient height to meet Applicant's requirements and the deficiency in height cannot be remedied at a reasonable cost; and

The Applicant provides substantial evidence that the extra height is necessary to avoid electromagnetic interference with other structures including existing wireless communications facilities within the geographic area; and

The Applicant provides written documentation, to the satisfaction of the Planning Commission/City Council, that the extra height is necessary to allow for future rearrangement of antennas and/or to accept additional antennas of other service providers; and

The Applicant's proposal complies with the design standards set forth in Section 21.48.070(e).

Any application to exceed the height standards set forth in Section 21.48.070(b) shall apply for a Conditional Use Permit with a full public review process per Section 21.48.050(b) of the Antenna Ordinance. Such applications shall only be approved after full public review and findings of fact based on the following criteria:

Building mounted antennas and any ancillary equipment shall be in scale and architecturally integrated with the building design in such a manner as to be visually unobtrusive. Screening may include designs such as locating the facility within attics, steeples, towers, behind and below parapets, or concealed within a new architectural addition to a building or structure which is architecturally compatible with the building.

When viewed directly against a building wall, colors and materials of the antennas shall match the existing building. Antennas attached to the building shall be painted or otherwise treated to match the exterior of the building or the antenna's background color.

Roof mounted equipment and antennas shall be located as far away as feasible and aesthetically desirable from the edge of the building. All commercial antenna and wireless communication facilities that are visible at five (5) feet above ground level, three hundred (300) feet from the base of the building shall incorporate appropriate techniques to camouflage or disguise the facility, and/or blend it into the surrounding environment unless evidence, acceptable to the Planning Commission shows that such camouflaging is infeasible.

Building mounted antenna and any ancillary equipment should avoid any unreasonable interference with views from neighboring properties.

Commercial antenna and wireless communications facilities shall be subject to the Conditional Use Permit Review process, as described in Sections 21.06.040 and 21.90.060(d)(2):

The applicant shall provide plans that fully screen the proposed facility from the view of surrounding properties and the public view unless it is co-located with existing facilities or structures. The communication facilities shall not create substantial visual, noise or thermal impacts and must be consistent with the character of the surrounding development; and

The applicant provides substantial evidence that there are no existing structures or freestanding wireless communication facilities within the geographic area of sufficient height to meet the applicant's requirements and the deficiency in height cannot be remedied at a reasonable cost; and

The applicant provides substantial evidence that the extra height is necessary to avoid electromagnetic interference with other structures including existing wireless communications facilities within the geographic area; and

The applicant provides written documentation, to the satisfaction of the Planning Commission/City Council, that the extra height is necessary to allow for future rearrangement of antennas and/or to accept additional antennas of other service providers; and

The applicant's proposal complies with the design standards set forth in Section 21.48.080(e) and that the extended height shall integrate into the existing club house architecture so as not to appear as an addition to the structure.

Building-mounted antennas and any ancillary equipment shall be in scale and architecturally integrated with the building design in such a manner as to be visually unobtrusive. Screening may include designs such as locating the facility within attics, steeples, towers, behind and below parapets, or concealed within a new architectural addition to a building or structure which is architecturally compatible with the building.

When viewed directly against a building wall, colors and materials of the antennas shall match the existing building. Antennas attached to the building shall be painted or otherwise treated to match the exterior of the building or the antenna's background color.

Roof-mounted equipment and antennas shall be located as far away as feasible and aesthetically desirable from the edge of the building. All commercial antenna and wireless communication facilities that are visible at five feet above ground level, 300 feet from the base of the building shall incorporate appropriate techniques to camouflage or disguise the facility, and/or blend it into the surrounding environment unless evidence, acceptable to the Planning Commission shows that such camouflaging is infeasible. All such roof-mounted equipment must be architecturally compatible with the building.

Building mounted antenna and any ancillary equipment shall not interfere with views from neighboring properties.

The City's Antenna Ordinance contains specific standards regarding the location and design of commercial antenna and wireless communication facilities within the City of Indian Wells. Specific questions regarding these standards should be directed to a Planning Department representative.