Roadway Standards Section 715 - Small Wireless Facilities

The following governs the installation of small wireless facilities within right-of-way or easements under Clackamas County jurisdiction.  The installation of small wireless facilities requires a Utility Permit.  In some cases, the installation of small wireless facilities is further governed by the ZDO.  In those cases, land use approval is required before the application for a Utility Permit.  County Code Section 7.03 provides additional requirements. 

715.1 Application

An application for a small wireless facilities shall not be complete until the following elements have been provided to the County:

1. Land use approval, if required.
2. Utility Permit application which requires:
   1. Evidence of land use approval, if required.
   2. For location on existing traffic signal appurtenances or illumination poles, written authorization or agreement from the owner of those structures.
   3. Plans illustrating the proposed installation that is compliant with the standards of Section 715.  Plans for new structures shall include the right-of-way, public utility easements, location of edge of pavement, curbs, sidewalks, landscape strips, curb ramps, driveways, and other structures within the vicinity of the proposed installation.
   4. Provide dimensions of all above ground structures. 
   5. Structural engineering calculations for any modifications to County owned infrastructure.
   6. Photographs illustrating the existing site conditions that will be impacted.
   7. An RF certification report per Section 715.9.

715.2 Review and Approval Period

Small wireless facility installations shall comply with regulations and documentations/permissions as set forth by federal, state, and these Standards. The review period for applications will be a maximum of 60 days on existing structures and will be a maximum of 90 days on new structures following receipt of an application per Section 715.1 with one restart after the initial completeness review.

715.3 Location Requirement

Small wireless facilities shall not be located on County owned street illumination poles or on County owned signal infrastructure unless it can be established that the small facilities cannot be placed on other existing, replacement or new support structures. 

715.4 Other Siting Requirements

1. New small wireless support structures shall not be sited within 50 feet longitudinally of an existing or approved utility pole, illumination pole or small  wireless support structure.
2. Locations for new support structures shall be as near as possible to property lines to avoid interference with building faces, views and business signage.
3. NOC (Network Operation Center) and RF Signage should be placed on same side of cabinet and/or pole as disconnect switch.  If NOC contact information cannot be read from ground level without visual aid, it is required to mount an additional NOC sign eight feet above ground level.
4. Any placement shall not impede, obstruct, or hinder operation of any emergency service, maintenance operations, pedestrian or vehicular access or travel including to or from private properties and of legally parked vehicles or permitted items within a public right-of-way.
5. If proposed within the clear zone and a new small cell wireless facility is deemed a fixed object per Section 245, the new small wireless facilities shall be placed as far as possible from the edge of the roadway including within public utility easements unless there is an existing alignment of support structures and such placement would be technically infeasible.  In such cases, the small wireless facilities shall be placed within substantially the same alignment as the existing support structure(s). 
6. Small wireless facility installations shall comply with the sight distance standards of Section 240, the National Electric Safety Code ("NESC"), and PROWAG.
7. All electrical, fiber optic or other related infrastructure shall be located within conduits not owned by the County.
8. Any placement shall not impact any existing or planned bridges, retaining walls or guardrail.
9. The small wireless facility placement shall cause no physical, electrical, or radio interference with the operation of traffic signal appurtenances or emergency control devices.
10. When  a small wireless facility is installed on a County-owned traffic signal pole, the the facility may only be installed on a traffic signal pole without a luminaire.

715.5 Access Requirements

1. All small wireless facilities shall be installed and operated in compliance with Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulations and guidelines, including placement of appropriate signage.
2. County and/or other qualified workers and contractors shall have the ability to easily shut off radio signals and power while working on the pole where a small wireless facility is installed or in the vicinity of a radio frequency (RF) emitting device. Each installer shall provide a small wireless facility shut-off switch and shut-off/turn-on instructions.

715.6 Aesthetics

1. To the extent technically feasible,  a small wireless telecommunication facility, including all related equipment and appurtenances, shall be a color that is similar to the support structure and use non-reflective materials.
2. The highest point of an antenna shall not exceed FCC standards and the height needed to meet safety requirements.
3. The size of above ground infrastructure shall be as small as technically feasible. 
4. If technically feasible, equipment shall be placed on or within the support structure or underground.
5. Lighting should be shrouded to the extent possible from nearby properties.

715.7 Abandonment and Removal

A small wireless facility that is not operated for a continuous period of 12 months, shall be considered abandoned and the owner of the facility shall be responsible for the removal of the facility, including its antenna(s) and equipment, within 60 days of receipt of written notice from the County notifying the owner of such facility abandonment.

715.8 Clackamas Regional Center Design Plan Area Requirements

Within the Clackamas Regional Center Design Plan Area, new support structures shall be black in color and galvanized to match other street lighting poles of the area.

715.9 Inspection

Comply with the requirements of Section 180.

715.10 Expiration

Comply with the Utility Permit requirements of Section 130.3.7.

715.11 Radio Frequency (RF) Certification Report

All new small wireless facilities proposed in County rights-of-way shall be accompanied by a Radio Frequency Certification Report, prepared by a qualified professional, which certifies that the small wireless facility will be installed and operated in compliance with FCC regulations and guidelines.  The report shall provide protocols for small wireless facility shut-off and turn-on.

A part of the Roadway Standards.