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Updated January 2025 – Gem Lake Consolidated Land Use Ordinance No. 131 124 <br /> <br />SECTION 23. BROADCAST/TELECOMMUNICATIONS TOWERS AND ANTENNAS <br />1. Purpose and Intent. <br /> <br />1. The purpose of this section is to establish predictable standards for siting and installing of wireless telephone, radio <br />broadcast, television broadcast and communications antenna towers or supporting structures within the City of <br />Gem Lake. It is the intent of this section to accommodate the communications needed of the residents and <br />businesses while protecting the public health, safety and general welfare of the community. <br /> <br />2. Specifically, the City Council finds the regulations set forth in this section necessary to: <br /> <br />1. Facilitate the provisions for wireless telecommunication services to the residents and businesses of the <br />City. <br /> <br />2. Restrict the location of towers and antennas to designated areas of the City and impose design standards to <br />minimize adverse visual effects of towers and antennas. <br /> <br />3. Require evidence of structural integrity and impose setback requirements to avoid potential damage to <br />adjacent properties from tower or antenna failure. <br /> <br />4. Require applicants for towers and antenna to prove their need and to apply for permits for their <br />construction. <br /> <br />5. Maximize the use of existing and approved towers and buildings to accommodate new antennas and <br />reduce the number of towers needed to serve the community. <br /> <br />2. Zoning Districts for Construction. <br /> <br />1. The following Zoning district preferences shall be followed when selecting potential commercial broadcast/ <br />telecommunications tower sites in the City of Gem Lake: <br /> <br />1. Gateway District “G” <br /> <br />2. The following Zoning districts shall not be used for commercial broadcast/telecommunications tower/antenna sites <br />in the City of Gem Lake: <br /> <br />1. Any “RE,” “RX,” “RO,” or “RS” District <br /> <br />2. Any Overlay District <br /> <br />3. Performance Standards. <br /> <br />1. All stand-alone tower or antennas and/or supporting structures must be of an enclosed monopole design. No <br />monopoles with exposed antennas and other appendages are allowed. <br /> <br />2. A proposal for a new tower shall not be approved unless the City Council finds that the Broadcast/ <br />telecommunications equipment planned for the proposed tower cannot be accommodated on an existing or <br />approved tower or building within a one (1) mile search radius of the proposed tower due to one of the following <br />reasons: <br /> <br />1. The planned equipment would exceed the structural capacity of the existing or approved tower or building <br />as documented by a qualified and licensed professional engineer, and the existing or approved tower <br />cannot be reinforced, modified or replaced to accom modate planned or equivalent equipment at <br />reasonable cost. <br /> <br />2. The planned equipment would cause interference materially impacting the usability of other existing or <br />planned equipment at the tower or building as documented by a qualified and licensed professional <br />engineer and the interference cannot be prevented at a reasonable cost. <br /> <br />3. Existing or approved towers and buildings within the search radius cannot accommodate the planned <br />equipment at a height necessary to function reasonably as documented by a qualified and licensed <br />professional engineer.