Lower Makefield Township
City Zoning Code
City Zoning Code
ARTICLE XIIIA
Radio and Telecommunications Facility Overlay District RTF
§ 200-50.1 Use regulations; design standards.
Commercial communications facilities, including buildings and other structures, are permitted by conditional use in the Radio and Telecommunications Facility Overlay District, subject to compliance with the following requirements. The overlay district has been created to limit the area where such facilities are permitted to certain lands zoned commercial or office/research and/or lands having frontage on Interstate No. 95 (I-95) in the general vicinity of I-95 interchanges and lands already subject to nonconforming commercial communication facility uses. The overlay district is limited to that portion of Lower Makefield Township set forth on the Zoning Map attached hereto as Exhibit "A."[1] Except in the C-3 District, the width of the overlay district shall be 300 feet measured from the edge of the right-of-way of I-95.
A.
In addition to the standards for conditional use as set forth in Article XXII, the following standards shall apply to conditional uses related to commercial communications facilities:
(1)
The applicant shall submit sufficient documentation so as to confirm that the facility is designed in accordance with the standards cited in this chapter for such facilities and with all applicable safety standards for same. The applicant shall demonstrate that the proposed facility is constructed in a manner consistent with all applicable industry standards, and the surrounding area will not be adversely affected by support structure failure. The facility shall be designed according to the standards of the American National Standards Institute and the Telecommunications Industry Association.
(2)
The applicant shall present a site plan showing the following items:
(a)
Locations of all existing uses and proposed telecommunications facilities.
(b)
Elevations and drawings of any existing uses and proposed telecommunications facilities, showing proposed width, depth, height, architectural style and structural data for any proposed facilities.
(c)
Vehicular access, fencing, landscaping and any easements for access and utilities.
(3)
The applicant shall demonstrate that the height of any facility is the minimum height necessary in accordance with the provisions of this section.
(4)
The applicant shall provide financial security, in a form acceptable to the Board of Supervisors, sufficient to secure to the Township the removal of any tower or similar structure associated with a commercial communications facility within six months from the date that such facility ceases to remain in operation.
(5)
In order to reduce the number of commercial communications facilities in the Township, all facilities, to the extent reasonably practical, shall be designed so as to permit other future users, including other telecommunications companies, police, fire and emergency services to make use of the facility. The applicant shall demonstrate that other telecommunications licensees have been contacted with the objective of encouraging collocation of licensed antennas on the same facility.
(6)
No commercial communications facility shall be located on any site or building registered on the National Register of Historic Places.
(7)
The commercial communications facility shall be fully automated and unattended on a daily basis and shall be visited only for periodic maintenance or emergency repair.
(8)
A seven-foot-high security fence shall completely surround any freestanding communications tower.
(9)
An evergreen screen consisting of a row of evergreen trees planted 10 feet on center shall be provided around the outside of the security fence.
B.
Additional standards for commercial communications facilities when combined with another use on a lot. A commercial communications facility shall be permitted on a lot with another permitted use or lawful nonconforming use subject to the general standards and the following additional requirements:
(1)
The commercial communication facility use may consist of a leasehold interest or easement but must be adequate to meet the requirements of this chapter, and it must be demonstrated that there is a legitimate and recognized property interest.
(2)
Vehicular access to the facility shall not interfere with the parking or circulation for the site of the principal use.
(3)
Documentation from the owner of the principle use indicating that an easement, lease or other any other interest in the property has been provided to the operator of the commercial communications facility.
[1]
Editor's Note: The Zoning Map is on file in the Township offices.