Coversheet

	REQUEST FOR COUNCIL AGENDA The City of Hartsville	Agenda Date: 7/10/2018
To: City Council
From: City Manager

Ordinance Number: 4341 Resolution Number: - REGULAR MEETING

ORDINANCE/RESOLUTION CAPTION:

AN ORDINANCE TO ESTABLISH THE STANDARDS FOR THE PLACEMENT OF SMALL WIRELESS FACILITIES IN COVERED AREAS IN THE CITY OF HARTSVILLE, SC.

BACKGROUND SUMMARY:

Over the last year, the Municipal Association of SC worked with the telecommunications industry to understand the issue and its potential impacts and to craft a model small wireless facility ordinance. The model ordinance balances municipal and telecommunications interests by streamlining the review and permitting process. At the same time, it preserves municipal authority to control rights of way and the design and aesthetics of SWF facilities to the extent permissible in state and federal law. Under the model ordinance, small wireless facilities are classified as a permissible use, subject to administrative review, in municipal rights of way and abutting utility easements unless the proposed SWF location is within a historical, design or underground utility district. In these supplemental review districts, SWFs are a conditional use that affords the municipality additional review authority and protection for the character of the districts.

To keep pace with user expectations, the telecommunications industry must rapidly build next-generation wireless networks and their associated infrastructure. Unlike previous wireless networks, the 5G wireless technology relies on a denser network of antennas, deployed at heights closer to street level, to supplement and communicate with traditional cell towers. Next generation antennas and support equipment — called small cells or small wireless facilities (SWF) — are attached to a pole or support structure such as a building. The control equipment mounts on either the pole or structure, or on or under the ground near the pole or structure.

So what does the rollout of 5G networks have to do with municipalities? In short, cities and towns are where it's all happening — if not now, then soon. Specifically, while the size, design and aesthetics of SWFs vary widely, what they have in common is their need to be placed in publicly visible and in most cases publicly regulated spaces. Depending on the number of mobile device users and volume of data processed, the average spacing of SWFs in urban areas ranges from a city block to a mile compared to cell towers built many miles apart.

IMPACT IF DENIED:

The contributions of the technology should be balanced with the potential impact the technology could have on municipally controlled rights of way and the visual aesthetics that residents and businesses demand. Achieving an acceptable balance of these interests is critical to avoiding an unwanted legislative solution. If denied, the city may not have the review authority of and protection for the character of its districts.

IMPACT IF APPROVED:

Under the model ordinance, small wireless facilities are classified as a permissible use, subject to administrative review, in municipal rights of way and abutting utility easements unless the proposed SWF location is within a historical, design or underground utility district. In these supplemental review districts, SWFs are a conditional use that affords the municipality additional review authority and protection for the character of the districts.

ATTACHMENTS:
	Description
	Ordinance 4341