Rep. Brent Hassert

Filed: 3/15/2005

 

 


 

 


 
09400HB3183ham001 LRB094 07387 AJO 43742 a

1
AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 3183

2     AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 3183 by replacing
3 everything after the enacting clause with the following:
 
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 and to regulate,
9 pursuant to subsections (a) through (g), AM broadcast towers
10 and facilities.
11     (a) Notwithstanding any other Section in this Division, the
12 county board or board of county commissioners of any county
13 shall have the power to regulate the location of the
14 facilities, as defined in subsection (c), of a
15 telecommunications carrier or AM broadcast station established
16 outside the corporate limits of cities, villages, and
17 incorporated towns that have municipal zoning ordinances in
18 effect. The power shall only be exercised to the extent and in
19 the manner set forth in this Section.
20     (b) The provisions of this Section shall not abridge any
21 rights created by or authority confirmed in the federal
22 Telecommunications Act of 1996, P.L. 104-104.
23     (c) As used in this Section, unless the context otherwise
24 requires:

 

 

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1         (1) "county jurisdiction area" means those portions of
2     a county that lie outside the corporate limits of cities,
3     villages, and incorporated towns that have municipal
4     zoning ordinances in effect;
5         (2) "county board" means the county board or board of
6     county commissioners of any county;
7         (3) "residential zoning district" means a zoning
8     district that is designated under a county zoning ordinance
9     and is zoned predominantly for residential uses;
10         (4) "non-residential zoning district" means the county
11     jurisdiction area of a county, except for those portions
12     within a residential zoning district;
13         (5) "residentially zoned lot" means a zoning lot in a
14     residential zoning district;
15         (6) "non-residentially zoned lot" means a zoning lot in
16     a non-residential zoning district;
17         (7) "telecommunications carrier" means a
18     telecommunications carrier as defined in the Public
19     Utilities Act as of January 1, 1997;
20         (8) "facility" means that part of the signal
21     distribution system used or operated by a
22     telecommunications carrier or AM broadcast station under a
23     license from the FCC consisting of a combination of
24     improvements and equipment including (i) one or more
25     antennas, (ii) a supporting structure and the hardware by
26     which antennas are attached; (iii) equipment housing; and
27     (iv) ancillary equipment such as signal transmission
28     cables and miscellaneous hardware;
29         (9) "FAA" means the Federal Aviation Administration of
30     the United States Department of Transportation;
31         (10) "FCC" means the Federal Communications
32     Commission;
33         (11) "antenna" means an antenna device by which radio
34     signals are transmitted, received, or both;

 

 

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1         (12) "supporting structure" means a structure, whether
2     an antenna tower or another type of structure, that
3     supports one or more antennas as part of a facility;
4         (13) "qualifying structure" means a supporting
5     structure that is (i) an existing structure, if the height
6     of the facility, including the structure, is not more than
7     15 feet higher than the structure just before the facility
8     is installed, or (ii) a substantially similar,
9     substantially same-location replacement of an existing
10     structure, if the height of the facility, including the
11     replacement structure, is not more than 15 feet higher than
12     the height of the existing structure just before the
13     facility is installed;
14         (14) "equipment housing" means a combination of one or
15     more equipment buildings or enclosures housing equipment
16     that operates in conjunction with the antennas of a
17     facility, and the equipment itself;
18         (15) "height" of a facility means the total height of
19     the facility's supporting structure and any antennas that
20     will extend above the top of the supporting structure;
21     however, if the supporting structure's foundation extends
22     more than 3 feet above the uppermost ground level along the
23     perimeter of the foundation, then each full foot in excess
24     of 3 feet shall be counted as an additional foot of
25     facility height. The height of a facility's supporting
26     structure is to be measured from the highest point of the
27     supporting structure's foundation;
28         (16) "facility lot" means the zoning lot on which a
29     facility is or will be located;
30         (17) "principal residential building" has its common
31     meaning but shall not include any building under the same
32     ownership as the land of the facility lot. "Principal
33     residential building" shall not include any structure that
34     is not designed for human habitation;

 

 

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1         (18) "horizontal separation distance" means the
2     distance measured from the center of the base of the
3     facility's supporting structure to the point where the
4     ground meets a vertical wall of a principal residential
5     building; and
6         (19) "lot line set back distance" means the distance
7     measured from the center of the base of the facility's
8     supporting structure to the nearest point on the common lot
9     line between the facility lot and the nearest residentially
10     zoned lot. If there is no common lot line, the measurement
11     shall be made to the nearest point on the lot line of the
12     nearest residentially zoned lot without deducting the
13     width of any intervening right of way; and .
14         (20) "AM broadcast station" means a facility and one or
15     more towers for the purpose of transmitting communication
16     in the 540 kHz to 1700 kHz band for public reception
17     authorized by the FCC.
18     (d) In choosing a location for a facility, a
19 telecommunications carrier or AM broadcast station shall
20 consider the following:
21         (1) A non-residentially zoned lot is the most desirable
22     location.
23         (2) A residentially zoned lot that is not used for
24     residential purposes is the second most desirable
25     location.
26         (3) A residentially zoned lot that is 2 acres or more
27     in size and is used for residential purposes is the third
28     most desirable location.
29         (4) A residentially zoned lot that is less than 2 acres
30     in size and is used for residential purposes is the least
31     desirable location.
32     The size of a lot shall be the lot's gross area in square
33 feet without deduction of any unbuildable or unusable land, any
34 roadway, or any other easement.

 

 

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1     (e) In designing a facility, a telecommunications carrier
2 or AM broadcast station shall consider the following
3 guidelines:
4         (1) No building or tower that is part of a facility
5     should encroach onto any recorded easement prohibiting the
6     encroachment unless the grantees of the easement have given
7     their approval.
8         (2) Lighting should be installed for security and
9     safety purposes only. Except with respect to lighting
10     required by the FCC or FAA, all lighting should be shielded
11     so that no glare extends substantially beyond the
12     boundaries of a facility.
13         (3) No facility should encroach onto an existing septic
14     field.
15         (4) Any facility located in a special flood hazard area
16     or wetland should meet the legal requirements for those
17     lands.
18         (5) Existing trees more than 3 inches in diameter
19     should be preserved if reasonably feasible during
20     construction. If any tree more than 3 inches in diameter is
21     removed during construction a tree 3 inches or more in
22     diameter of the same or a similar species shall be planted
23     as a replacement if reasonably feasible. Tree diameter
24     shall be measured at a point 3 feet above ground level.
25         (6) If any elevation of a facility faces an existing,
26     adjoining residential use within a residential zoning
27     district, low maintenance landscaping should be provided
28     on or near the facility lot to provide at least partial
29     screening of the facility. The quantity and type of that
30     landscaping should be in accordance with any county
31     landscaping regulations of general applicability, except
32     that paragraph (5) of this subsection (e) shall control
33     over any tree-related regulations imposing a greater
34     burden.

 

 

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1         (7) Fencing should be installed around a facility. The
2     height and materials of the fencing should be in accordance
3     with any county fence regulations of general
4     applicability.
5         (8) Any building that is part of a facility located
6     adjacent to a residentially zoned lot should be designed
7     with exterior materials and colors that are reasonably
8     compatible with the residential character of the area.
9     (f) The following provisions shall apply to all facilities
10 established in any county jurisdiction area (i) after the
11 effective date of the amendatory Act of 1997 with respect to
12 telecommunications carriers and (ii) after the effective date
13 of this amendatory Act of the 94th General Assembly with
14 respect to AM broadcast stations:
15         (1) Except as provided in this Section, no yard or set
16     back regulations shall apply to or be required for a
17     facility.
18         (2) A facility may be located on the same zoning lot as
19     one or more other structures or uses without violating any
20     ordinance or regulation that prohibits or limits multiple
21     structures, buildings, or uses on a zoning lot.
22         (3) No minimum lot area, width, or depth shall be
23     required for a facility, and unless the facility is to be
24     manned on a regular, daily basis, no off-street parking
25     spaces shall be required for a facility. If the facility is
26     to be manned on a regular, daily basis, one off-street
27     parking space shall be provided for each employee regularly
28     at the facility. No loading facilities are required.
29         (4) No portion of a facility's supporting structure or
30     equipment housing shall be less than 15 feet from the front
31     lot line of the facility lot or less than 10 feet from any
32     other lot line.
33         (5) No bulk regulations or lot coverage, building
34     coverage, or floor area ratio limitations shall be applied

 

 

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1     to a facility or to any existing use or structure
2     coincident with the establishment of a facility. Except as
3     provided in this Section, no height limits or restrictions
4     shall apply to a facility.
5         (6) A county's review of a building permit application
6     for a facility shall be completed within 30 days. If a
7     decision of the county board is required to permit the
8     establishment of a facility, the county's review of the
9     application shall be simultaneous with the process leading
10     to the county board's decision.
11         (7) The improvements and equipment comprising the
12     facility may be wholly or partly freestanding or wholly or
13     partly attached to, enclosed in, or installed in or on a
14     structure or structures.
15         (8) Any public hearing authorized under this Section
16     shall be conducted in a manner determined by the county
17     board. Notice of any such public hearing shall be published
18     at least 15 days before the hearing in a newspaper of
19     general circulation published in the county.
20         (9) Any decision regarding a facility by the county
21     board or a county agency or official shall be supported by
22     written findings of fact. The circuit court shall have
23     jurisdiction to review the reasonableness of any adverse
24     decision and the plaintiff shall bear the burden of proof,
25     but there shall be no presumption of the validity of the
26     decision.
27     (g) The following provisions shall apply to all facilities
28 established (i) after the effective date of this amendatory Act
29 of 1997 with respect to telecommunications carriers and (ii)
30 after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 94th
31 General Assembly with respect to AM broadcast stations in the
32 county jurisdiction area of any county with a population of
33 less than 180,000:
34         (1) A facility is permitted if its supporting structure

 

 

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1     is a qualifying structure or if both of the following
2     conditions are met:
3             (A) the height of the facility shall not exceed 200
4         feet, except that if a facility is located more than
5         one and one-half miles from the corporate limits of any
6         municipality with a population of 25,000 or more the
7         height of the facility shall not exceed 350 feet; and
8             (B) the horizontal separation distance to the
9         nearest principal residential building shall not be
10         less than the height of the supporting structure;
11         except that if the supporting structure exceeds 99 feet
12         in height, the horizontal separation distance to the
13         nearest principal residential building shall be at
14         least 100 feet or 80% of the height of the supporting
15         structure, whichever is greater. Compliance with this
16         paragraph shall only be evaluated as of the time that a
17         building permit application for the facility is
18         submitted. If the supporting structure is not an
19         antenna tower this paragraph is satisfied.
20         (2) Unless a facility is permitted under paragraph (1)
21     of this subsection (g), a facility can be established only
22     after the county board gives its approval following
23     consideration of the provisions of paragraph (3) of this
24     subsection (g). The county board may give its approval
25     after one public hearing on the proposal, but only by the
26     favorable vote of a majority of the members present at a
27     meeting held no later than 75 days after submission of a
28     complete application by the telecommunications carrier. If
29     the county board fails to act on the application within 75
30     days after its submission, the application shall be deemed
31     to have been approved. No more than one public hearing
32     shall be required.
33         (3) For purposes of paragraph (2) of this subsection
34     (g), the following siting considerations, but no other

 

 

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1     matter, shall be considered by the county board or any
2     other body conducting the public hearing:
3             (A) the criteria in subsection (d) of this Section;
4             (B) whether a substantial adverse effect on public
5         safety will result from some aspect of the facility's
6         design or proposed construction, but only if that
7         aspect of design or construction is modifiable by the
8         applicant;
9             (C) the benefits to be derived by the users of the
10         services to be provided or enhanced by the facility and
11         whether public safety and emergency response
12         capabilities would benefit by the establishment of the
13         facility;
14             (D) the existing uses on adjacent and nearby
15         properties; and
16             (E) the extent to which the design of the proposed
17         facility reflects compliance with subsection (e) of
18         this Section.
19         (4) On judicial review of an adverse decision, the
20     issue shall be the reasonableness of the county board's
21     decision in light of the evidence presented on the siting
22     considerations and the well-reasoned recommendations of
23     any other body that conducts the public hearing.
24     (h) The following provisions shall apply to all facilities
25 established after the effective date of this amendatory Act of
26 1997 in the county jurisdiction area of any county with a
27 population of 180,000 or more. A facility is permitted in any
28 zoning district subject to the following:
29         (1) A facility shall not be located on a lot under
30     paragraph (4) of subsection (d) unless a variation is
31     granted by the county board under paragraph (4) of this
32     subsection (h).
33         (2) Unless a height variation is granted by the county
34     board, the height of a facility shall not exceed 75 feet if

 

 

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1     the facility will be located in a residential zoning
2     district or 200 feet if the facility will be located in a
3     non-residential zoning district. However, the height of a
4     facility may exceed the height limit in this paragraph, and
5     no height variation shall be required, if the supporting
6     structure is a qualifying structure.
7         (3) The improvements and equipment of the facility
8     shall be placed to comply with the requirements of this
9     paragraph at the time a building permit application for the
10     facility is submitted. If the supporting structure is an
11     antenna tower other than a qualifying structure then (i) if
12     the facility will be located in a residential zoning
13     district the lot line set back distance to the nearest
14     residentially zoned lot shall be at least 50% of the height
15     of the facility's supporting structure or (ii) if the
16     facility will be located in a non-residential zoning
17     district the horizontal separation distance to the nearest
18     principal residential building shall be at least equal to
19     the height of the facility's supporting structure.
20         (4) The county board may grant variations for any of
21     the regulations, conditions, and restrictions of this
22     subsection (h), after one public hearing on the proposed
23     variations, by a favorable vote of a majority of the
24     members present at a meeting held no later than 75 days
25     after submission of an application by the
26     telecommunications carrier. If the county board fails to
27     act on the application within 75 days after submission, the
28     application shall be deemed to have been approved. In its
29     consideration of an application for variations, the county
30     board, and any other body conducting the public hearing,
31     shall consider the following, and no other matters:
32             (A) whether, but for the granting of a variation,
33         the service that the telecommunications carrier seeks
34         to enhance or provide with the proposed facility will

 

 

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1         be less available, impaired, or diminished in quality,
2         quantity, or scope of coverage;
3             (B) whether the conditions upon which the
4         application for variations is based are unique in some
5         respect or, if not, whether the strict application of
6         the regulations would result in a hardship on the
7         telecommunications carrier;
8             (C) whether a substantial adverse effect on public
9         safety will result from some aspect of the facility's
10         design or proposed construction, but only if that
11         aspect of design or construction is modifiable by the
12         applicant;
13             (D) whether there are benefits to be derived by the
14         users of the services to be provided or enhanced by the
15         facility and whether public safety and emergency
16         response capabilities would benefit by the
17         establishment of the facility; and
18             (E) the extent to which the design of the proposed
19         facility reflects compliance with subsection (e) of
20         this Section.
21     No more than one public hearing shall be required.
22         (5) On judicial review of an adverse decision, the
23     issue shall be the reasonableness of the county board's
24     decision in light of the evidence presented and the
25     well-reasoned recommendations of any other body that
26     conducted the public hearing.
27 (Source: P.A. 90-522, eff. 1-1-98.)
 
28     Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
29 becoming law.".