Selected Title 47 Code of Federal Regulations

§ 1.6001 Purpose.

This subpart implements 47 U.S.C. 332(c)(7) and 1455.

§ 1.6002 Definitions.

Terms not specifically defined in this section or elsewhere in this subpart have the meanings defined in this part and the Communications Act of 1934, 47 U.S.C. 151 et seq. Terms used in this subpart have the following meanings:

(a) Action or to act on a siting application means a siting authority‘s grant of a siting application or issuance of a written decision denying a siting application.

(b) Antenna, consistent with § 1.1320(d), means an apparatus designed for the purpose of emitting radiofrequency (RF) radiation, to be operated or operating from a fixed location pursuant to Commission authorization, for the provision of personal wireless service and any commingled information services. For purposes of this definition, the term antenna does not include

(c) Antenna equipment, consistent with § 1.1320(d), means equipment,4 switches, wiring, cabling, power sources, shelters or cabinets associated with an antenna, located at the same fixed location as the antenna, and, when collocated on a structure, is mounted or installed at the same time as such antenna.

(d) Antenna facility means an antenna and associated antenna equipment.

(e) Applicant means a person or entity that submits a siting application and the agents, employees, and contractors of such person or entity.

(f) Authorization means any approval that a siting authority must issue under applicable law prior to the deployment of personal wireless service facilities, including, but not limited to, zoning approval and building permit.

(g) Collocation, consistent with § 1.1320(d) and the Nationwide Programmatic Agreement (NPA) for the Collocation of Wireless Antennas, appendix B of this part, section I.B, means –

   (1) Mounting or installing an antenna facility on a pre-existing structure; and/or

   (2) Modifying a structure for the purpose of mounting or installing an antenna facility on that structure.

   (3) The definition of “collocation” in § 1.6100(b)(2) applies to the term as used in that section.

(h) Deployment means placement, construction, or modification of a personal wireless service facility.

(i) Facility or personal wireless service facility means an antenna facility or a structure that is used for the provision of personal wireless service, whether such service is provided on a stand-alone basis or commingled with other wireless communications services.

(j) Siting application or application means a written submission to a siting authority requesting authorization for the deployment of a personal wireless service facility at a specified location.

(k) Siting authority means a State government, local government, or instrumentality of a State government or local government, including any official or organizational unit thereof, whose authorization is necessary prior to the deployment of personal wireless service facilities.

(l) Small wireless facilities are facilities that meet each of the following conditions:

   (1) The facilities –

      (i) Are mounted on structures 50 feet or less in height including their antennas as defined in § 1.1320(d); or

      (ii) Are mounted on structures no more than 10 percent taller than other adjacent structures; or

      (iii) Do not extend existing structures on which they are located to a height of more than 50 feet or by more than 10 percent, whichever is greater;

   (2) Each antenna associated with the deployment, excluding associated antenna equipment (as defined in the definition of antenna in § 1.1320(d)), is no more than three cubic feet in volume;

   (3) All other wireless equipment associated with the structure, including the wireless equipment associated with the antenna and any pre-existing associated equipment on the structure, is no more than 28 cubic feet in volume;

   (4) The facilities do not require antenna structure registration under part 17 of this chapter;

   (5) The facilities are not located on Tribal lands, as defined under 36 CFR 800.16(x); and

   (6) The facilities do not result in human exposure to radiofrequency radiation in excess of the applicable safety standards specified in § 1.1307(b).

(m) Structure means a pole, tower, base station, or other building, whether or not it has an existing antenna facility, that is used or to be used for the provision of personal wireless service (whether on its own or comingled with other types of services).

[83 FR 51884, Oct. 15, 2018, as amended at 84 FR 59567, Nov. 5, 2019]

§ 1.6003 Reasonable periods of time to act on siting applications.

(a) Timely action required. A siting authority that fails to act on a siting application on or before the shot clock date for the application, as defined in paragraph (e) of this section, is presumed not to have acted within a reasonable period of time.

(b) Shot clock period. The shot clock period for a siting application is the sum of —

   (1) The number of days of the presumptively reasonable period of time for the pertinent type of application, pursuant to paragraph (c) of this section; plus

   (2) The number of days of the tolling period, if any, pursuant to paragraph (d) of this section.

(c) Presumptively reasonable periods of time.

   (1) Review periods for individual applications. The following are the presumptively reasonable periods of time for action on applications seeking authorization for deployments in the categories set forth in paragraphs (c)(1)(i) through (iv) of this section:

      (i) Review of an application to collocate a Small Wireless Facility using an existing structure: 60 days.

      (ii) Review of an application to collocate a facility other than a Small Wireless Facility using an existing structure: 90 days.

      (iii) Review of an application to deploy a Small Wireless Facility using a new structure: 90 days.

      (iv) Review of an application to deploy a facility other than a Small Wireless Facility using a new structure: 150 days.

   (2) Batching.

      (i) If a single application seeks authorization for multiple deployments, all of which fall within a category set forth in either paragraph (c)(1)(i) or (iii) of this section, then the presumptively reasonable period of time for the application as a whole is equal to that for a single deployment within that category.

      (ii) If a single application seeks authorization for multiple deployments, the components of which are a mix of deployments that fall within paragraph (c)(1)(i) of this section and deployments that fall within paragraph (c)(1)(iii) of this section, then the presumptively reasonable period of time for the application as a whole is 90 days.

      (iii) Siting authorities may not refuse to accept applications under paragraphs (c)(2)(i) and (ii) of this section.

   (d) Tolling period. Unless a written agreement between the applicant and the siting authority provides otherwise, the tolling period for an application (if any) is as set forth in paragraphs (d)(1) through (3) of this section.

   (1) For an initial application to deploy Small Wireless Facilities, if the siting authority notifies the applicant on or before the 10th day after submission that the application is materially incomplete, and clearly and specifically identifies the missing documents or information and the specific rule or regulation creating the obligation to submit such documents or information, the shot clock date calculation shall restart at zero on the date on which the applicant submits all the documents and information identified by the siting authority to render the application complete.

   (2) For all other initial applications, the tolling period shall be the number of days from —

      (i) The day after the date when the siting authority notifies the applicant in writing that the application is materially incomplete and clearly and specifically identifies the missing documents or information that the applicant must submit to render the application complete and the specific rule or regulation creating this obligation; until

      (ii) The date when the applicant submits all the documents and information identified by the siting authority to render the application complete;

      (iii) But only if the notice pursuant to paragraph (d)(2)(i) of this section is effectuated on or before the 30th day after the date when the application was submitted; or

(3) For resubmitted applications following a notice of deficiency, the tolling period shall be the number of days from —

      (i) The day after the date when the siting authority notifies the applicant in writing that the applicant‘s supplemental submission was not sufficient to render the application complete and clearly and specifically identifies the missing documents or information that need to be submitted based on the siting authority‘s original request under paragraph (d)(1) or (2) of this section; until

      (ii) The date when the applicant submits all the documents and information identified by the siting authority to render the application complete;

      (iii) But only if the notice pursuant to paragraph (d)(3)(i) of this section is effectuated on or before the 10th day after the date when the applicant makes a supplemental submission in response to the siting authority‘s request under paragraph (d)(1) or (2) of this section.

(e) Shot clock date. The shot clock date for a siting application is determined by counting forward, beginning on the day after the date when the application was submitted, by the number of calendar days of the shot clock period identified pursuant to paragraph (b) of this section and including any pre-application period asserted by the siting authority; provided, that if the date calculated in this manner is a “holiday” as defined in § 1.4(e)(1) or a legal holiday within the relevant State or local jurisdiction, the shot clock date is the next business day after such date. The term “business day” means any day as defined in § 1.4(e)(2) and any day that is not a legal holiday as defined by the State or local jurisdiction.