Zoning Ordinance and Design
Standards and Guidelines Updates
related to WCF and Other Minor
Updates
City Council First Reading
February 3, 2025
Background
WCF
2 Wireless law and regulations have changed since
the adoption of Piedmont’s WCF Ordinance
The changes limit the City’s authority to deny
applications and set strict time limits for reviewing
applications.
The City does have the ability to regulate
aesthetics.
Public Engagement since 2018: community
workshop, Harvest Festival, study sessions
The Planning Commission and City Council
previously discussed proposed amendments to City
Code and Design Standards and Guidelines
Summary of Code Changes
3 Updated Definitions:
• Aligned de finitions with State and Federal regulations for better compliance.
Preferred Locations:
• Clari fied pre ferred locations for wireless facilities , emphasizing non -residential areas .
Revised Standards:
• Updated height limits ,
• Strengthened visual impact mitigation ,
• Incorporated City standards for right -of-way facilities , • Established a 10-year permit term.
Summary of Code Changes
4 Streamlined Permitting:
• Introduced ministerial review for applications meeting strict design standards , processed by sta f f with no public review or comment.
• Planning Commission retains authority for applications not meeting strict design standards .
Administrative Appeals:
• Eliminated appeals for ministerially approved applications . • Established City Administrator as the appeals body for decisions by sta f f and the Planning Commission .
Batch Processing:
• Incorporated provisions for "batch WCF processing permits" as outlined in Assembly Bill 965, allowing for more e f ficient processing o f similar small cell applications on multiple sites .
Streamlined
Permit Process
5 Location Type of WCF
Design Standards
Criteria Type of Permit Required
WCF in the
Right-of-Way
6409 Collocation
Meets the design
criteria outlined in
Design Standards and
Guidelines outlined in
Section 8.02.03
Building Permit
Encroachment Permit
Small Cell or DAS
Application
Meets the Design
Standards and
Guidelines outlined in
Section 8.02.03
Building Permit
Encroachment Permit
Does not meet the
Design Standards and
Guidelines
WCF Planning Permit, Review by
Planning Commission
Building Permit
Encroachment Permit
Collocation (not under
6409) with existing
structure
WCF Planning Permit, Review by
Director
Building Permit
Encroachment Permit
WCF On Public
or Private
Property
New structure
WCF Planning Permit, Review by
Planning Commission
Building Permit
Collocation (not under
6409) with existing
structure
WCF Planning Permit, Review by
Director
Building Permit
6409 Collocation
Meets Design Standards
and Guidelines in
Section 8.02.04
Building Permit
Summary of Design Standards and Guidelines
6 Goals:
Minimize environmental impact , enhance wireless coverage, and seamlessly integrate facilities with existing in frastructure.
Organization:
•Follows Piedmont Design Standards & Guidelines format. •Includes concise statements, illustrative photos , and sections on location , application , standards , and checklists.
•Prioritizes user-friendliness
Stealth Facilities:
•Encourages "stealth" designs (concealment to appear as something other than a WCF) .
•Reduces visual clutter and allows for future regulation o f expansion .
Stealth Design in ROW
7 Antennas, cables, and radios are concealed in shrouds, and boxes with signage in front, to blend into the
existing pole and making it not look like a wireless
facility.
Stealth/Concealment – Non-ROW
8 Chapter 8 will also include:
• More in formation regarding the permit submittal options and processes • A checklist for pro jects eligible for 6409
• A checklist that all wireless applications must submit 9 Section 3.04 City Of Piedmont List Of
Streets
10 • Technical Correction
• Establish which streets require street yard setbacks
on proper ties that front them.
• Red Rock Road is not bounded by the proper ty lines
o f abutting lots from which a street yard setback
would be required.
• Sta f f recommends eliminating Red Rock Road from
the City’s List o f Streets.
Study Session
Summary
11 Batch Processing: Allow for the removal of individual sites from a batch process permit without requiring the applicant to withdraw the entire permit/batch.
Response: The proposed Ordinance amendments allows for
withdrawal of up to 50% of the batch sites without deeming the entire batch withdrawn.
Underground Vault: The practicality of implementing
underground vaults for equipment associated with small cell facilities in public right-of-way.
Response: Not practical as it may necessitate frequent
access for equipment repairs and maintenance, introduce potential noise issues, introduce conflicts with underground utilities or city infrastructure, and significantly increase project costs.
Planning Commission:
March 11, 2024
July 8, 2024
September 9, 2024
City Council:
October 21,2024
Study Session
Summary
12 Buffer Zones: Review the feasibility of establishing buffer zones between small cell facilities in public right-of-way and residential homes.
Response: Per federal law small cell providers can go
wherever they want. Providers are also not required to show the need for coverage.
Public Notification: Whether or not there are appropriate methods for publicly notifying residents about WCF permit applications that are subject to only ministerial review.
Response: Monthly Planning Commission reports provide
information on WCF permits applied for and approved.
Planning Commission:
March 11, 2024
July 8, 2024
September 9, 2024
City Council:
October 21,2024
Recommendation
Hearing
13 Planning Commission:
January 13, 2025
• Commission unanimously recommended that the City
Council adopt the proposed amendments.
• Following Commission’s recommendation, staff made the following amendments:
• All references to “Public Hearing” were changed to
“Public Meeting”.
• Any references to “FRP” or fiber reinforced plastic were removed.
• Definition of “Macrocell” was modified.
• References to “broadband” within the context of Batch Processing was replaced with “WCF”.
• A photo example of WCF in right of way was replaced.
These changes were made and included in the Council
report shared along with the agenda on January 27,
2025.
Corrections to
Council Report
14 • Following posting of the Council report on January 27, 2025, staff made further technical corrections to the Zoning
Ordinance to be consistent with redline edits and vice versa.
No new provisions or sections have been added to the
Zoning Ordinance amendments, simply corrections for
better consistency among documents attached to the
Council report, including:
• Section 17.46.020: replacing “broadband” with “WCF” in the definitions.
• Section 17.46.040.A.4: replacing “Prohibition” with
“Prohibit”.
• Section 17.46.050.B.1.b: replacing “applicant’s facility will be located” to “applicant is going”
• Section 17.46.070.A.5: replacing “comply with” to “follow” Recommended
Action Tonight
1st Reading
15 Staff recommends that the Council adopt Attachment A (Zoning Ordinance Amendments) as presented in the
memo circulated today, and Attachment B (Amendments
to the Piedmont Design Standards and Guidelines) as
presented in the council report posted on January 27, 2025.
Next Steps
16 City Council 2nd Reading February
18, 2025, followed by adoption in
March 2025
Development of New Permit
Applications and supporting
documents as needed.