Minutes_February 20, 2019 - Laserfiche WebLink

interpreted as an effective prohibition. There may also be issues with separation requirements between utilities, as they must be at least 6 feet away from any electrical conductors per the CPUC's requirements. Commissioner Balch posed the question that if there is a height restriction of 35 or 40 feet in the downtown and there is one pole in the right-of-way that can be used by carriers, whether a pole being 49 or 50 feet, with a cell tower, would still meet these requirements. Mr. May said it would depend on the City's local preferences; there could be one pole in a central location that can provide enough coverage or a couple of other smaller poles providing smaller cells around it. One would cost more and/or one would create more facilities which might create aesthetic concerns, but both are technically feasible. If there are alternative feasible locations, the carrier would be asked why they could not be used, but they could not make up a better location as everything needs to be objective and defined. Commissioner Brown said typically in 3G or 4G wireless there will be omni -sector, bi-sector and tri -sector antennas, with tri -sector antennas being common. He asked whether the proposed maximum of six total antennas would limit carriers to an omni- or bi-sector arrangement. Mr. May said that with the current technology they are mostly seeing two -sector antennas in 5G trial cities. If they are tri -sector they are typically smaller and usually aiming up and down and across the street as well, but either way, they will fit under the size definitions prescribed. The regulations are aiming to balance the need to have technology with the desire to preserve some of the aesthetics in the right-of-way, and the number proposed, he believes, strikes that balance. However, if the Commission believes there is another way to strike the balance, this is a policy question for the Commission to recommend. Commissioner Brown asked what the average antenna size is for 5G. Mr. May stated they are usually two -foot tall antennas, or one -cubic foot. He confirmed that fiber is needed to have a 5G network. Commissioner Brown said if someone hits the pole with a car and the City has to replace the pole, who would be burdened with the cost or process to have the carrier remove and replace the pole. Mr. May said there are not provisions in the policy dealing with pole strikes, which would be something that could be in a pole attachment agreement, but there are provisions in the policy dealing with the City's compensation for costs incurred of the facility and provisions dealing with obligations to remove or relocate equipment if it is interfering with a municipal function. They are trying to adjust the City's subjective zoning type rules to fit in this new paradigm. He added that the definition of co -location has changed, which means one wireless facility sharing a structure that is already existing. A new macro -cell on a rooftop that did not have a wireless facility on it is technically a co -location. Planning Commission Minutes Page 3 of 12 February 20, 2019