State of Illinois
91st General Assembly
Legislation

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[ Engrossed ][ Enrolled ][ Senate Amendment 002 ]

91_SB1172

 
                                               SRS91S0049GHsa

 1        AN ACT to amend the Counties Code.

 2        Be it enacted by the People of  the  State  of  Illinois,
 3    represented in the General Assembly:

 4        Section  5.    The  Counties  Code is amended by changing
 5    Section 5-12001.1 as follows:

 6        (55 ILCS 5/5-12001.1)
 7        Sec. 5-12001.1.  Authority to regulate certain  specified
 8    facilities of a telecommunications carrier.
 9        (a)  Notwithstanding  any other Section in this Division,
10    the county board or board  of  county  commissioners  of  any
11    county  shall  have the power to regulate the location of the
12    facilities,   as   defined   in   subsection   (c),   of    a
13    telecommunications  carrier established outside the corporate
14    limits of cities, villages, and incorporated towns that  have
15    municipal  zoning ordinances in effect.  The power shall only
16    be exercised to the extent and in the  manner  set  forth  in
17    this Section.
18        (b)  The provisions of this Section shall not abridge any
19    rights  created  by  or  authority  confirmed  in the federal
20    Telecommunications Act of 1996, P.L. 104-104.
21        (c)  As  used  in  this  Section,  unless   the   context
22    otherwise requires:
23             (1)  "county jurisdiction area" means those portions
24        of  a  county  that  lie  outside the corporate limits of
25        cities,  villages,  and  incorporated  towns  that   have
26        municipal zoning ordinances in effect;
27             (2)  "county  board" means the county board or board
28        of county commissioners of any county;
29             (3)  "residential zoning district"  means  a  zoning
30        district   that  is  designated  under  a  county  zoning
31        ordinance and  is  zoned  predominantly  for  residential
 
                            -2-                SRS91S0049GHsa
 1        uses;
 2             (4)  "non-residential  zoning  district"  means  the
 3        county  jurisdiction  area  of a county, except for those
 4        portions within a residential zoning district;
 5             (5)  "residentially zoned lot" means a zoning lot in
 6        a residential zoning district;
 7             (6)  "non-residentially zoned lot"  means  a  zoning
 8        lot in a non-residential zoning district;
 9             (7)  "telecommunications     carrier"     means    a
10        telecommunications  carrier  as  defined  in  the  Public
11        Utilities Act as of January 1, 1997;
12             (8)  "facility"  means  that  part  of  the   signal
13        distribution    system    used    or    operated   by   a
14        telecommunications carrier under a license from  the  FCC
15        consisting of a combination of improvements and equipment
16        including  (i)  one  or  more antennas, (ii) a supporting
17        structure  and  the  hardware  by  which   antennas   are
18        attached;  (iii)  equipment  housing;  and (iv) ancillary
19        equipment  such  as  signal   transmission   cables   and
20        miscellaneous hardware;
21             (9)  "FAA" means the Federal Aviation Administration
22        of the United States Department of Transportation;
23             (10)  "FCC"   means   the   Federal   Communications
24        Commission;
25             (11)  "antenna"  means  an  antenna  device by which
26        radio signals are transmitted, received, or both;
27             (12)  "supporting  structure"  means  a   structure,
28        whether  an  antenna  tower or another type of structure,
29        that supports one or more antennas as part of a facility;
30             (13)  "qualifying  structure"  means  a   supporting
31        structure  that  is  (i)  an  existing  structure, if the
32        height of the facility, including the structure,  is  not
33        more  than  15 feet higher than the structure just before
34        the  facility  is  installed,  or  (ii)  a  substantially
 
                            -3-                SRS91S0049GHsa
 1        similar, substantially same-location  replacement  of  an
 2        existing  structure,  if  the  height  of  the  facility,
 3        including  the replacement structure, is not more than 15
 4        feet higher than the height  of  the  existing  structure
 5        just before the facility is installed;
 6             (14)  "equipment housing" means a combination of one
 7        or   more   equipment  buildings  or  enclosures  housing
 8        equipment that operates in conjunction with the  antennas
 9        of a facility, and the equipment itself;
10             (15)  "height"  of a facility means the total height
11        of the facility's supporting structure and  any  antennas
12        that   will  extend  above  the  top  of  the  supporting
13        structure;  however,  if   the   supporting   structure's
14        foundation  extends  more than 3 feet above the uppermost
15        ground level along the perimeter of the foundation,  then
16        each full foot in excess of 3 feet shall be counted as an
17        additional  foot  of  facility  height.   The height of a
18        facility's supporting structure is to  be  measured  from
19        the   highest   point   of   the  supporting  structure's
20        foundation;
21             (16)  "facility lot" means the zoning lot on which a
22        facility is or will be located;
23             (17)  "principal  residential  building"   has   its
24        common  meaning  but shall not include any building under
25        the same ownership as  the  land  of  the  facility  lot.
26        "Principal  residential  building"  shall not include any
27        structure that is not designed for human habitation;
28             (18)  "horizontal  separation  distance"  means  the
29        distance measured from the center  of  the  base  of  the
30        facility's  supporting  structure  to the point where the
31        ground meets a vertical wall of a  principal  residential
32        building; and
33             (19)  "lot   line   set  back  distance"  means  the
34        distance measured from the center  of  the  base  of  the
 
                            -4-                SRS91S0049GHsa
 1        facility's  supporting  structure to the nearest point on
 2        the common lot line between  the  facility  lot  and  the
 3        nearest  residentially  zoned lot.  If there is no common
 4        lot line, the measurement shall be made  to  the  nearest
 5        point  on the lot line of the nearest residentially zoned
 6        lot without deducting the width of any intervening  right
 7        of way.
 8        (d)  In   choosing   a   location   for   a  facility,  a
 9    telecommunications carrier shall consider the following:
10             (1)  A  non-residentially  zoned  lot  is  the  most
11        desirable location.
12             (2)  A residentially zoned lot that is not used  for
13        residential   purposes   is  the  second  most  desirable
14        location.
15             (3)  A residentially zoned lot that is  2  acres  or
16        more  in size and is used for residential purposes is the
17        third most desirable location.
18             (4)  A residentially zoned lot that is less  than  2
19        acres in size and is used for residential purposes is the
20        least desirable location.
21        The size of a lot shall be the lot's gross area in square
22    feet  without  deduction of any unbuildable or unusable land,
23    any roadway, or any other easement.
24        (e)  In  designing  a  facility,   a   telecommunications
25    carrier shall consider the following guidelines:
26             (1)  No building or tower that is part of a facility
27        should  encroach  onto  any recorded easement prohibiting
28        the encroachment unless the grantees of the easement have
29        given their approval.
30             (2)  Lighting should be installed for  security  and
31        safety  purposes  only.   Except with respect to lighting
32        required by the  FCC  or  FAA,  all  lighting  should  be
33        shielded  so  that  no glare extends substantially beyond
34        the boundaries of a facility.
 
                            -5-                SRS91S0049GHsa
 1             (3)  No facility should encroach  onto  an  existing
 2        septic field.
 3             (4)  Any  facility located in a special flood hazard
 4        area or wetland should meet the  legal  requirements  for
 5        those lands.
 6             (5)  Existing  trees  more than 3 inches in diameter
 7        should  be  preserved  if  reasonably   feasible   during
 8        construction.  If any tree more than 3 inches in diameter
 9        is removed during construction a tree 3 inches or more in
10        diameter  of  the  same  or  a  similar  species shall be
11        planted as a replacement if  reasonably  feasible.   Tree
12        diameter shall be measured at a point 3 feet above ground
13        level.
14             (6)  If   any  elevation  of  a  facility  faces  an
15        existing, adjoining residential use within a  residential
16        zoning  district,  low  maintenance landscaping should be
17        provided on or near the facility lot to provide at  least
18        partial screening of the facility.  The quantity and type
19        of  that  landscaping  should  be  in accordance with any
20        county landscaping regulations of general  applicability,
21        except  that  paragraph  (5) of this subsection (e) shall
22        control over  any  tree-related  regulations  imposing  a
23        greater burden.
24             (7)  Fencing  should be installed around a facility.
25        The height and materials of  the  fencing  should  be  in
26        accordance  with  any county fence regulations of general
27        applicability.
28             (8)  Any building that is part of a facility located
29        adjacent to a residentially zoned lot should be  designed
30        with  exterior  materials  and colors that are reasonably
31        compatible with the residential character of the area.
32        (f)  The  following  provisions  shall   apply   to   all
33    facilities  established in any county jurisdiction area after
34    the effective date of the amendatory Act of 1997:
 
                            -6-                SRS91S0049GHsa
 1             (1)  Except as provided in this Section, no yard  or
 2        set  back regulations shall apply to or be required for a
 3        facility.
 4             (2)  A facility may be located on  the  same  zoning
 5        lot  as  one  or  more  other  structures or uses without
 6        violating any ordinance or regulation that  prohibits  or
 7        limits  multiple  structures,  buildings,  or  uses  on a
 8        zoning lot.
 9             (3)  No minimum lot area, width, or depth  shall  be
10        required for a facility, and unless the facility is to be
11        manned  on  a regular, daily basis, no off-street parking
12        spaces shall be required for a facility.  If the facility
13        is to be manned on a regular, daily basis, one off-street
14        parking  space  shall  be  provided  for  each   employee
15        regularly  at  the  facility.   No loading facilities are
16        required.
17             (4)  No portion of a facility's supporting structure
18        or equipment housing shall be less than 15 feet from  the
19        front  lot  line of the facility lot or less than 10 feet
20        from any other lot line.
21             (5)  No bulk regulations or lot  coverage,  building
22        coverage,  or  floor  area  ratio  limitations  shall  be
23        applied to a facility or to any existing use or structure
24        coincident  with the establishment of a facility.  Except
25        as  provided  in  this  Section,  no  height  limits   or
26        restrictions shall apply to a facility.
27             (6)  A   county's   review   of  a  building  permit
28        application for a facility shall be completed  within  30
29        days.   If  a decision of the county board is required to
30        permit the establishment  of  a  facility,  the  county's
31        review  of the application shall be simultaneous with the
32        process leading to the county board's decision.
33             (7)  The improvements and equipment  comprising  the
34        facility  may  be wholly or partly freestanding or wholly
 
                            -7-                SRS91S0049GHsa
 1        or partly attached to, enclosed in, or installed in or on
 2        a structure or structures.
 3             (8)  Any  public  hearing  authorized   under   this
 4        Section  shall be conducted in a manner determined by the
 5        county board.  Notice of any such public hearing shall be
 6        published at least  15  days  before  the  hearing  in  a
 7        newspaper of general circulation published in the county.
 8             (9)  Any decision regarding a facility by the county
 9        board  or  a county agency or official shall be supported
10        by written findings of fact.   The  circuit  court  shall
11        have  jurisdiction  to  review  the reasonableness of any
12        adverse decision and the plaintiff shall bear the  burden
13        of  proof,  but  there  shall  be  no  presumption of the
14        validity of the decision.
15        (g)  The  following  provisions  shall   apply   to   all
16    facilities  established  after  the  effective  date  of this
17    amendatory Act of 1997 in the county jurisdiction area of any
18    county with a population of less than 180,000:
19             (1)  A  facility  is  permitted  if  its  supporting
20        structure is a qualifying structure or  if  both  of  the
21        following conditions are met:
22                  (A)  the  height  of  the  facility  shall  not
23             exceed  200  feet,  except  that  if  a  facility is
24             located more than one and one-half  miles  from  the
25             corporate   limits   of   any  municipality  with  a
26             population of 25,000  or  more  the  height  of  the
27             facility shall not exceed 350 feet; and
28                  (B)  the  horizontal separation distance to the
29             nearest principal residential building shall not  be
30             less  than  the  height of the supporting structure;
31             except that if the supporting structure  exceeds  99
32             feet  in  height, the horizontal separation distance
33             to the nearest principal residential building  shall
34             be  at  least  100  feet or 80% of the height of the
 
                            -8-                SRS91S0049GHsa
 1             supporting   structure,   whichever   is    greater.
 2             Compliance   with   this  paragraph  shall  only  be
 3             evaluated as of the  time  that  a  building  permit
 4             application  for  the facility is submitted.  If the
 5             supporting structure is not an  antenna  tower  this
 6             paragraph is satisfied.
 7             (2)  Unless  a facility is permitted under paragraph
 8        (1) of this subsection (g), a facility can be established
 9        only after the county board gives its approval  following
10        consideration  of the provisions of paragraph (3) of this
11        subsection (g).  The county board may give  its  approval
12        after one public hearing on the proposal, but only by the
13        favorable  vote of a majority of the members present at a
14        meeting held no later than 75 days after submission of  a
15        complete  application  by the telecommunications carrier.
16        If the county board  fails  to  act  on  the  application
17        within  75  days  after  its  submission, the application
18        shall be deemed to have been approved.  No more than  one
19        public hearing shall be required.
20             (3)  For   purposes   of   paragraph   (2)  of  this
21        subsection (g), the following siting considerations,  but
22        no  other matter, shall be considered by the county board
23        or any other body conducting the public hearing:
24                  (A)  the criteria in  subsection  (d)  of  this
25             Section;
26                  (B)  whether  a  substantial  adverse effect on
27             public safety will result from some  aspect  of  the
28             facility's design or proposed construction, but only
29             if   that   aspect  of  design  or  construction  is
30             modifiable by the applicant;
31                  (C)  the benefits to be derived by the users of
32             the services to  be  provided  or  enhanced  by  the
33             facility  and  whether  public  safety and emergency
34             response   capabilities   would   benefit   by   the
 
                            -9-                SRS91S0049GHsa
 1             establishment of the facility;
 2                  (D)  the existing uses on adjacent  and  nearby
 3             properties; and
 4                  (E)  the  extent  to  which  the  design of the
 5             proposed   facility   reflects    compliance    with
 6             subsection (e) of this Section.
 7             (4)  On  judicial review of an adverse decision, the
 8        issue shall be the reasonableness of the  county  board's
 9        decision in light of the evidence presented on the siting
10        considerations  and  the well-reasoned recommendations of
11        any other body that conducts the public hearing.
12        (h)  The  following  provisions  shall   apply   to   all
13    facilities  established  after  the  effective  date  of this
14    amendatory Act of 1997 in the county jurisdiction area of any
15    county with a population of 180,000 or more.  A  facility  is
16    permitted in any zoning district subject to the following:
17             (1)  A  facility shall not be located on a lot under
18        paragraph (4) of subsection (d)  unless  a  variation  is
19        granted  by  the county board under paragraph (4) of this
20        subsection (h).
21             (2)  Unless a height variation  is  granted  by  the
22        county  board,  the height of a facility shall not exceed
23        75 feet if the facility will be located in a  residential
24        zoning  district  or  200  feet  if  the facility will be
25        located in a non-residential zoning  district.   However,
26        the  height  of a facility may exceed the height limit in
27        this  paragraph,  and  no  height  variation   shall   be
28        required,  if  the  supporting  structure is a qualifying
29        structure.
30             (3)  The improvements and equipment of the  facility
31        shall  be  placed to comply with the requirements of this
32        paragraph at the time a building permit  application  for
33        the  facility  is submitted.  If the supporting structure
34        is an antenna tower other  than  a  qualifying  structure
 
                            -10-               SRS91S0049GHsa
 1        then (i) if the facility will be located in a residential
 2        zoning  district  the  lot  line set back distance to the
 3        nearest residentially zoned lot shall be at least 50%  of
 4        the height of the facility's supporting structure or (ii)
 5        if  the  facility  will  be  located in a non-residential
 6        zoning district the horizontal separation distance to the
 7        nearest principal residential building shall be at  least
 8        equal   to   the  height  of  the  facility's  supporting
 9        structure.
10             (4)  The county board may grant variations  for  any
11        of  the regulations, conditions, and restrictions of this
12        subsection (h), after one public hearing on the  proposed
13        variations,  by  a  favorable  vote  of a majority of the
14        members present at a meeting held no later than  75  days
15        after    submission    of    an    application   by   the
16        telecommunications carrier.  If the county board fails to
17        act on the application within 75 days  after  submission,
18        the  application  shall  be deemed to have been approved.
19        In its consideration of an  application  for  variations,
20        the  county  board,  and  any  other  body conducting the
21        public hearing, shall  consider  the  following,  and  no
22        other matters:
23                  (A)  whether,   but   for  the  granting  of  a
24             variation, the service that  the  telecommunications
25             carrier   seeks  to  enhance  or  provide  with  the
26             proposed facility will be less available,  impaired,
27             or  diminished  in  quality,  quantity,  or scope of
28             coverage;
29                  (B)  whether  the  conditions  upon  which  the
30             application for variations is based  are  unique  in
31             some   respect   or,  if  not,  whether  the  strict
32             application of the regulations  would  result  in  a
33             hardship on the telecommunications carrier;
34                  (C)  whether  a  substantial  adverse effect on
 
                            -11-               SRS91S0049GHsa
 1             public safety will result from some  aspect  of  the
 2             facility's design or proposed construction, but only
 3             if   that   aspect  of  design  or  construction  is
 4             modifiable by the applicant;
 5                  (D)  whether there are benefits to  be  derived
 6             by  the  users  of  the  services  to be provided or
 7             enhanced by the facility and whether  public  safety
 8             and emergency response capabilities would benefit by
 9             the establishment of the facility; and
10                  (E)  the  extent  to  which  the  design of the
11             proposed   facility   reflects    compliance    with
12             subsection (e) of this Section.
13        No more than one public hearing shall be required.
14             (5)  On  judicial review of an adverse decision, the
15        issue shall be the reasonableness of the  county  board's
16        decision  in  light  of  the  evidence  presented and the
17        well-reasoned recommendations  of  any  other  body  that
18        conducted the public hearing.
19    (Source: P.A. 90-522, eff. 1-1-98.)

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