WIRELESS FACILITIES ZONING AUDIT CHECKLIST

Introduction
The deregulation of wireless telecommunications has resulted in extensive infrastructure deployment
by competitive service providers, each trying to gain and increase market share as quickly as possible.
With nine providers licensed in the Pinellas County service area, wireless telecommunication
infrastructure has become a new land use for which local planning agencies have had to create new
development standards and review processes.
It has been seven years since passage of the federal Telecommunications Act of 1996. It is now time for
local governments to assess the effectiveness of land use regulations adopted in response to the Act,
and to develop strategies for the next decade of deployments.
Zoning and other land development regulations reflect a communitys development objectives.
Therefore, while most of these regulations are unique, just as all communities are unique, they each
share some common goals relative to the wireless telecommunications industry, such as the desire to:

Control the proliferation and placement of towers.

Encourage the deployment of wireless technologies with the least amount of visual
impact.
Implement approval processes for wireless telecommunication equipment installations
without creating a burden on staff.
Generate revenue for the public by leasing appropriate public sites for the installation of
wireless telecommunications infrastructure.

Tower proliferation is discouraged by making it easy to attach antennas to existing above ground
structures (rooftops, water tanks, towers), and by requiring any new towers to be engineered,
constructed, and marketed for use by more than one provider.
Planning agencies can encourage the installation of wireless facilities throughout the community with
the least amount of visual impact by first addressing the realities of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd generation wireless
deployment while maintaining local aesthetic values and complying with applicable law.
Clearly defined regulatory processes with fewer layers of approval for antenna collocations will not
only encourage them, but will also require less staff time for plan review. Allowing towers that meet
strict development standards intended to minimize the visual impact of the proposed facility as
permitted uses in some zoning districts is another way local governments can reduce the amount of
staff time required for development review.
The desire to generate revenue recognizes that jurisdictions have the ability to make available
something of value (infrastructure siting locations) to providers for which the jurisdictions should be
compensated.
In order to achieve these common goals, a zoning audit checklist is attached that can be used to
evaluate existing land use development standards.

Zoning Audit Checklist Purpose and Intent

This checklist is a tool to assist local government staff and officials in evaluating your existing wireless
facility regulations. It will help you determine whether they appropriately address current technologies
and whether they anticipate technological change, e.g., wi-fi. The majority of the checklist is organized
in a yes and no format. Simply check the box that reflects the content of your regulations.
After the checklist is completed, you will be better able to determine whether your land use regulations
meet the goals of your community, particularly in light of technological changes that have taken place
since you adopted the regulations, and those that are anticipated. You can then determine what
amendments to your existing regulations should be made. As the countywide wireless facility study
progresses, model land development regulations will be distributed to local governments for your
optional use.

I:\USERS\WPDOCS\LA\Wireless\Zoning Audit Checklist Intro_FINAL.doc

Wireless Facilities LDR/Zoning Audit Checklist

General Questions
1.

2.

In what sections(s) of your land development regulations/zoning code do wireless

facility regulations appear?
Wireless/telecommunication facilities: [Section: __________________________]
Accessory uses: [Section: ___________________________________________]
Public rights-of-way: [Section: ________________________________________]
Historic preservation: [Section: _______________________________________]
Individual zoning district categories: [Section: ____________________________]
What are the common goals of your wireless communications regulatory
standards? An example may be reduced proliferation of towers.
________________________________
_______________________________
________________________________
_______________________________

Please check Yes or No for the items below.

3.

YES NO

Are wireless infrastructure exemptions contained in your zoning code or other land
development regulations (LDRs)? If so, what is exempted?
Amateur radio
Broadcast facilities
Satellite earth stations less than 2 meters in diameter
Other: _____________________________________________________

4.

Do your regulations include provisions (other than exemptions) covering:

Amateur radio
Broadcast facilities
Satellite earth stations less than 2 meters in diameter
Other: _____________________________________________________

5.

Do your regulations contain wireless telecommunication definitions?

If so, are they regularly amended to respond to technology changes?

6.
7.

Do your regulations require a determination of need?

Is your jurisdictions approval process for new wireless infrastructure consistent
with Section 365.172, F.S. (2003)?
Do code provisions address the permitted height of the following?
Attached/collocated non-stealth* antennas
Attached/collocated stealth ** antennas
New non-stealth tower
New stealth tower
Mitigation (Defined as a modification to increase the height of an existing antenna
support structure; or to improve the structural integrity of an existing structure(s);
or to replace or remove one or more structure(s) located in proximity of a
proposed new support structure in order to encourage compliance with a local
ordinance, improve aesthetics, or functionality of the overall wireless network.)
Do your regulations include provisions requiring:
Vehicle parking
! If so, how many spaces? _________________________

8.

9.

* Non-stealth = (standard tower or antenna)

**Stealth = (stealth, camouflaged, or concealed tower or antenna)

Wireless Facilities LDR/Zoning Audit Checklist

General Questions (Continued)

10.

11.

YES

NO

Does your code address setbacks for the following?

Equipment building
New stealth tower
New non-stealth tower
Mitigation
Guy wire anchors
Do your regulations address facility structural integrity such as:
A tower being designed for collocation
Structural certification required for collocations
Inspection by a licensed third-party
Follow-up inspections
Other: ___________________________________________________________

12.

Do your regulations address the aesthetics of wireless infrastructure such as:

Equipment buildings
Feed lines
Antennas
New stealth tower
New non-stealth tower
Design quidelines, e.g., location of the access drive or types of permitted building
materials
Landscaping/screening
! New ground equipment
! Use of existing vegetation
! Landform preservation
! Minimal site disturbance

13.

Does your jurisdiction have:

Wireless design-based zoning districts or performance standards
View shed or coastline aesthetics standards
Any special coastline setbacks
Other: ___________________________________________________________

14.

Do your regulations address the compatibility of wireless infrastructure with nearby

areas?
! Height
! Mass and scale
! Materials and color
! Texture
! Configuration
! Illumination

* Non-stealth = (standard tower or antenna)

**Stealth = (stealth, camouflaged, or concealed tower or antenna)

Wireless Facilities LDR/Zoning Audit Checklist

Questions About Towers

15.
16.
17.
18.

YES NO

Do you already have a stealth tower in your community?

Are there requirements for attachments/collocation as the first alternative to a new
tower?
Do your regulations require a specific number of collocations on new towers based
on tower height?
New tower(s) are permitted as:
Principal use of land
Accessory use to principal use
Second principal use of land
Other: ___________________________________________________________

19.

20.

21.

What type of tower(s) are permitted in your jurisdiction?

Monopole
Lattice
Guyed
Stealth
What towers, by type and zoning district, are permitted in your jurisdiction?
Non-stealth
! Residential single-family districts
! Residential multifamily districts
! Office districts
! Commercial districts
! Industrial districts
! Parks and open space districts
Stealth
! Residential single-family districts
! Residential multifamily districts
! Office districts
! Commercial districts
! Industrial districts
! Parks and open space districts
Is there an approval process for new towers?
Non-stealth
! Administrative
! Board of Adjustment
! Council/Commission
Stealth
! Administrative
! Board of Adjustment
! Council/Commission

* Non-stealth = (standard tower or antenna)

**Stealth = (stealth, camouflaged, or concealed tower or antenna)

Wireless Facilities LDR/Zoning Audit Checklist

Questions About Towers (Continued)

22.

Do your regulations address:

Tower fall zones
Tower grouping vs. tower separation
Tower lighting
Mitigation, e.g., permitting a new, taller tower in exchange for taking one or more
older or obsolete ones down.

Questions About Antennas

23.

What antenna attachments/collocations are permitted in your jurisdiction?

Non-stealth
! Residential single-family districts
! Residential multifamily districts
! Office districts
! Commercial districts
! Industrial districts
! Parks and open space districts
Stealth
! Residential single-family districts
! Residential multifamily districts
! Office districts
! Commercial districts
! Industrial districts
! Parks and open space districts

24.

Is there an approval process for antenna attachment/collocation?

Non-stealth
! Administrative
! Board of Adjustment
! Council/Commission
Stealth
! Administrative
! Board of Adjustment
! Council/Commission
Do your regulations address the use of public property for new antenna
installations?

25.

YES NO

* Non-stealth = (standard tower or antenna)

**Stealth = (stealth, camouflaged, or concealed tower or antenna)

YES NO

Wireless Facilities LDR/Zoning Audit Checklist

Other Issues
26.

Does your jurisdiction have zoning districts where flagpoles are not permitted?

27.

Do your regulations address flagpole setbacks?

If yes, the minimum setbacks permitted for flagpoles are:
! Residential single-family districts: ______________________________
! Residential multifamily districts: ________________________________
! Office districts: _____________________________________________
! Commercial districts: ________________________________________
! Industrial districts: __________________________________________
! Parks and open space districts: ________________________________

28.

Do your regulations address maximum flagpole heights?

If yes, the maximum permitted heights for flagpoles are:
! Residential single-family districts: ______________________________
! Residential multifamily districts: ________________________________
! Office districts: _____________________________________________
! Commercial districts: ________________________________________
! Industrial districts: __________________________________________
! Parks and open space districts: ________________________________

29.

Do your regulations address church steeple heights?

If yes, the maximum permitted heights for steeples are:
! Residential single-family districts: ______________________________
! Residential multifamily districts: ________________________________
! Office districts: _____________________________________________
! Commercial districts: ________________________________________
! Industrial districts: __________________________________________
! Parks and open space districts: ________________________________

30.

Does your community have lease(s) with tower owner(s) or wireless provider(s)?
Tower leases
! The tower lease annual revenue is: $____________________________
Attachment/collocation leases
! The attachment/collocation lease annual revenue is: $______________

* Non-stealth = (standard tower or antenna)

**Stealth = (stealth, camouflaged, or concealed tower or antenna)

YES

NO

Wireless Facilities LDR/Zoning Audit Checklist

Other Issues (Continued)

YES

NO

YES

NO

31. Do your regulations address:

Lighting of ground level base equipment
Signage
Minimum lot size
Radio frequency interference
Radio frequency emissions
Noise
Maintenance
Permitted temporary facilities
Removal of abandoned wireless telecommunications infrastructure
Nonconforming wireless telecommunications infrastructure

Administration
32.

33.

Do your regulations address:

Variances
Requirement for a specific application
Requirement for a specific submission
Application fee
Additional technical review assistance and fee
Specific administrative review procedures
Specific public hearing review procedures
Are there any other wireless telecommunication land development regulations in
your jurisdiction that are not listed above?
If so, what are they?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

* Non-stealth = (standard tower or antenna)

**Stealth = (stealth, camouflaged, or concealed tower or antenna)