Washington Township
City Zoning Code

Building-mounted communications antennas shall not be located on any single-family dwelling or two-family dwelling.

Building-mounted communications antennas shall be permitted to exceed the height limitations of the applicable zoning district by no more than 20 feet.

Omnidirectional or whip communications antennas shall not exceed 20 feet in height and seven inches in diameter.

Directional or panel communications antennas shall not exceed five feet in height and three feet in width.

Any applicant proposing communications antennas to be mounted on a building or other structure shall submit evidence from a Pennsylvania registered professional engineer certifying that the proposed installation will not exceed the structural capacity of the building or other structure, considering wind and other loads associated with the antenna location.

Any applicant proposing communications antennas to be mounted on a building or other structure shall submit detailed construction and elevation drawings indicating how the antennas will be mounted on the structure for review by the Washington Township Building Official for compliance with Chapter 41, Building Construction, and other applicable Township ordinances.

Any applicant proposing communications antennas to be mounted on a building or other structure shall submit evidence of agreements and/or easements necessary to provide access to the building or structure on which the antennas are to be mounted so that installation and maintenance of the antennas and communications equipment building can be accomplished.

Communications antennas shall comply with all applicable standards established by the Federal Communications Commission governing human exposure to electromagnetic radiation.

Communications antennas shall not cause radio frequency interference with other communications facilities located in Washington Township.

A communications equipment building shall be subject to the height and setback requirements of the applicable zoning district for an accessory structure.

The owner or operator of communications antennas shall be licensed by the Federal Communications Commission to operate such antennas.

The applicant shall demonstrate that it is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission to operate a communications tower, if applicable, and communications antennas.

The applicant shall demonstrate that the proposed communications tower and communications antennas proposed to be mounted thereon comply with all applicable standards established by the Federal Communications Commission governing human exposure to electromagnetic radiation.

Communications towers shall comply with all applicable Federal Aviation Administration, Commonwealth Bureau of Aviation and applicable Airport Zoning Regulations.

Access shall be provided to the communications tower and communications equipment building by means of a public street or easement to a public street. The easement shall be a minimum of 20 feet in width and shall be improved to a width of at least 10 feet, with a dust-free, all-weather surface for its entire length.

A communications tower may be located on a lot occupied by other principal structures and may occupy a leased parcel within a lot meeting the minimum lot size requirements for the zoning district.

Recording of a plat of subdivision or land development shall not be required for a lease parcel on which a communications tower is proposed to be constructed, provided that the communications equipment building is unmanned.

In all zoning districts where communications towers are permitted by right, the maximum height of any communications tower shall be 180 feet.

The applicant shall demonstrate that the proposed height of the communications tower is the minimum height necessary to perform its function.

The base of a communications tower shall be landscaped so as to screen the foundation and base of the communications equipment building from abutting properties.

The communications equipment building shall comply with the required yard and height requirements of the applicable zoning district of any accessory structure.

The applicant shall submit certification from a Pennsylvania registered professional engineer that a proposed communications tower will be designed and constructed in accordance with the current Structural Standards for Steel Antenna Towers and Antenna Supporting Structures, published by the Electrical Industrial Association/Telecommunications Industry Association, and applicable Township ordinances.

The applicant shall submit a copy of its current Federal Communications Commission license; the name, address and emergency telephone number for the operator of the communications tower; and a certificate of insurance evidencing general liability coverage in the minimum amount of $ 1,000,000 per occurrence covering the communications tower and communications antennas.

All guy wires associated with guyed communications towers shall be clearly marked so as to be visible at all times and shall be located within a fenced enclosure.

The site of a communications tower shall be secured by a fence with a height of eight to 10 feet to limit accessibility by the general public.

No signs or lights shall be mounted on a communications tower, except as may be required by the Federal Communications Commission, Federal Aviation Administration or other governmental agency which has jurisdiction.

Communications towers shall be protected and maintained in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 41, Building Construction, and other applicable Township ordinances.

If a communications tower remains unused for a period of 12 consecutive months, the owner or operator shall dismantle and remove the communications tower within six months of the expiration of such twelve-month period.

One off-street parking space shall be provided within the fenced area.

In all zoning districts where communications towers are permitted by special exception, the maximum height of any communications tower shall be 150 feet. The height, however, may be increased to no more than 180 feet, provided that the required setbacks from adjoining property lines (not lease lines) are increased by one foot for each one foot of height in excess of 150 feet. The applicant shall demonstrate that the proposed height of the communications tower is the minimum height necessary to perform its function.

Any applicant proposing construction of a new communications tower shall demonstrate that a good-faith effort has been made to obtain permission to mount the communications antennas on an existing building, structure or communications tower. A good-faith effort shall require that all owners of potentially suitable structures within a one-fourth-mile radius of the proposed communications tower site be contacted and that one or more of the following reasons for not selecting such structure apply:

A communications tower must be located the required distance from a blasting area, as set forth in the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Regulations, Title 25, Chapter 211 of the Pennsylvania Code, and its appendices, as may be amended from time to time.