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C/ED:CPD:BR:klc
COUNCIL MEETING: 10/1/85
Santa MonIca, CalIfornIa
TO: Mayor and CIty CouncIl
FROM: City Staff
SUBJECT: Recommendation to Direct PlannIng CommIssIon to Develop
Zoning Regulations Regard~ng Antennae
INTRODUCTION
Th~s report recommends the City CouncIl dIrect the CIty PlannIng
Commission to develop ZonIng regulations for satellite dISh
antennae and other types of antennae.
InitIally, councilmember
Katz requested Information regardIng the Clty'S policles and
procedures concernIng satellI te dish antennae at the March 12,
1985, CIty Council meetIng. In May, staff forwarded a report on
thIS Issue as an Information Item (ExhibIt A). Staff recommends
that the Planning CommIssion develop zoning regulations to
address the matter.
BACKGROUND
The initIal staff report to City CouncIl was developed In
response to a concern about the proliferatIon of satellIte dISh
antennae and their potentIal visual ~mpact. Currently satellite
dIsh antennae are not addressed In the MunIcIpal Code.
Zoning standards are necessary to mItIgate the potentIal safety,
aesthetIc and VIew blockage Impacts of satellIte dish
antennae
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OCT 1 198~
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and other such structures.
Staff will work Wl th the Plannlng
Commission
to develop appropr Ia te
regulations WhICh wIll
ultimately be returned to the City Council for review and
adoptIon 1n ordinance form.
BOor., 'T/FISCAL IMPACTS
The commendations In thIS report do not have a budget/fIscal
impact.
RECC_ .'lENDATION
It IS recommended that the CIty CouncIl dIrect the PlannIng
COmm1.5SJ.on to develop Zoning standards regulatIng antennae and
forward recommendations on thlS subject to the CouncIl by
January 1986.
Exhlr
A: InformatIon Item on SatellIte Dish Antennas
Prepared by: D. Kenyon Webster, ActIng Senior planner
Barbara Renteria, ASsIstant Planner
City Planning Division
CommunIty and Economic Development Department
dishcc
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e Exhibit A
e
C/ED:PPD:BR
INFORMATION
Santa Monica, California
To:
Mayor and City Council
reom:
City Staff
Subject:
Satellite Dish Antennas
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this report is to provide City CouncIl with
information on the City I S current pollcles and procedures for
regulatIng satellite dIsh antennas. ThIS report also provides
baSIC informatlon defIning satellIte dlsh antennas and thelr
general p~rpose. It identifIes zonIng lssues and descrlbes
antenna regulations of other cltles. ThIS report recommends that
in conJunctlon with other reviSions to Santa Monlcats Zon~ng
Code, other ordInances be amended to clearly address satellIte
dish antenna
issues.
This information was
requested
by
Council~ember Katz at the Harch 12. 1965. City Councll meeting.
':.
8ACKGROORD
A -satellite antenna-, -dish antenna- or -ea.rth station- is a
combinatIon of: 1) antenna or dish antenna which receIves
communIcations or other signals from orbiting satellItes and
other extraterrestrlal sources; 2) a low-nOIse ampllfler (LNA)
sltuate~ at the focal pOInt of the receiVing component and whose
purpose is to magnify and transfer Signals; and 3) 8 coaxial
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cable which carries t~&i9nalS into the interi~of an adJacent
residence or building.
Most dish antennas ate about 8 to 12 feet in diameter. However,
there are many small dish antennas which are just over three feet
in diameter that are used in conjunction wIth subscription
television (paid TV). These smaller clshes only receive signals
from one satellite. The larger dlshes are designed to intercept
SIgnals trom a number of orbitIng satellites. All dish antennas
must
face
because
th~
geostationary
lDajor
southwest
communlcatlons satellItes are located above the Faclflc Ocean at
the Equator.
Although
6atellite
have
used
for
diSh
antenna.s
been
communIcations purposes for many years, they have only become
popular for pr lvate non-commercial use in recent years. Since
they must be faci n9 in a southwester ly d 1 r ection, many owner 5
have chosen to mount these dIshes atop theIr roofs, belieVIng
there is less interference. Because these antennas can be six to
twelve feet in diameter, there is concern about whether the dlSh
antennas are alOunted properly and securely. Another concern lS
whether there will be a negatlve visual impact en comrnerclal or
residentlal neighborhoods if dlSh antennas are mounted on house
or
building
roofs.
and
includlng
other
lfhese
concerns
electromagnetlc interference, are becoming major issues for many
cltles 45 satellite antennas increase 1n number.
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SA~BLLITE DISH ANTENNA REGULATIONS IB MEIGBBORING CITIES
Ci ty Bta.t f reviewed this issue wi th Beve r Iy Bill sand Culver
Clty, the two cities noted in the March 7, 1985 Los Angeles Times
article which prompted Councilmember ~atzt inquiry. The City of
Beverly 81116 currently has an ordinance regulatlng satellite
dish antennas which are defined as -electrlcal structures.- The
ordinance tequlres that a building permit be obtalned and that
the antenna be structurally sound. However, the ordinance does
not address any visual or locatlon aspects of antennas.
Beverly Bllls. city staff are currently developlng new provlslons
to amend thelr eXlstlng ordlnance regulatlng satelllte dlSh
antennas including:
o requirlng dish antennas in Rl (single family) zoned distrlcts
to be placed on the ground and properly screened;
o requiring a slte plan review in the Rl district WhlCh wlll
allow staff to review all applications for dish antennas;
o requlr Ing staff to develop guidelines for mul tl-famlly and
commerclal zoned dlstricts which will address screeningr size
and Visual aspects of all dish antennas; and
o requiring all applications for dish antennas in the
multi-family end commerclal zones to be reviewed by the
Archltectural ReVlew Commission.
Currently
acceptlng
Cl,llver City
Applications
has
for
imposed a temporary ~oIatoliurn on
dish antennas until the existing
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ordinance
regUlatinltdish
to
amend"
is
antennas
According
Culver City ataff, although Culver City has an extensive
ordinance which clearly atipulates the standards and requirements
allowing ~i&h antennas, the City atlll has several problems with
these BtandaIds.
Por example, current code only allows antennas
to be fixed to the ground, and apparently this is not always
practical. Their ataff des1.res to ..odify provisions related to
the placement, screening, visibllity, and other provisions of the
eXlsting regulations. Culver Clty does not anticipate completing
the amendments until later thlS sumrr.er.
Most communities have no regulations written speciflcally for
satelllte earth statlons or dish antennas. Of those that do,
many treat satellite antennas as -accessory structures-. In
general, ci ties such as El Paso, Texas, Phoenix, Ar izona, and
Evanston,
Illinois allow sa tell i te antennas
as accessory
structures in all districts.
Those in residentlally zoned
distr iets are usually not allowed in the front yard or side
yards. Many require antennas to be located within the rear yard
or mounted on the roof. Some cities have height limits for those
aounteO on roofs and requite an inspection for safety. The
Evanston ordinance requires that all satellite earth stations in
all zoning dlBtr1cts aust be neutral in color and to the extent
possible. compatible with the surroundl.ng neighborhood in
appearance .nO character.
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SANTA MONICA'S RBGDLATION or DISH ARTBNNA~
Santa Monica does not have apecific ordinances which regulate
liatellite dish antennas and also does not require I. building
permit for the installation of dish antennas.
.
'1'he Oniform
BuilCling Code (UBe)
requires a bui1d~n9 permit for all
.iscellaneous structures over six feet in helght or when -major
structural.work- is involved. Major structural work may include
the pour ing of a concrete slab to WhlCh the antenna would be
anchored. The applicant would obtain the bUlldlng permit for the
concrete slab, not for the a~sh antenna if the entire structure
does not exceed SIX feet. A permit would also be requlred for the
electrIcal aspects of the lnstallation if other than low voltage
is used (llO voltage or greater). If mounted to the roof, total
height of bUIlding plus antenna would be regulated by the zoning
code requirements for each distrlct.
BUllding and Safety Division staff believe that satellite dish
antennas are generally being installed in a proper techn1.cal
aanner. There are use requirements (Chapter 11, M 2 occupancy,
Division 2 -Tanks and Towers.) which regulate the installation of
antennas Bnd those in the profession usually adhere to those
Btandards.
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~ALYSIS
~he only existing 8ection of the Zoning Ordinance that may
pertain to satellite antennas is that which applies to screening
aechanical equipment. As .echanical equipment in a commercial.
industrial or multi-residential zoned district, satellite
antennas would be required to be to be properly screened (Section
9127 J.t). The Architectural Review Board's (ARB) guidelines
require that mechanical equlpment or other utility hardware on
the roof, ground, or bU1Idins be screened from publlC Vlew wlth
aaterlals harmonlous with the bu~ldln9, or be located so as not
to be vislble from any publ ic ways. However, ARB review would
not occur unless there was a Iequlrement for a Building Permit.
The ARB also does not have the opportunity to review the visual
impacts of these antennas in Rl and R-2R neighborhoods which are
exempt from ARB review. However, depending on their Slze and
need for a Building Permit, some dish antennas could be
con&i~e[ed accessory structures if mounted on the ground.
Wlthout some explicit standards and site plan review requlrements
in the loning Code there is a possibility of some adverse
effects. Appropriate standards and a mandatory review by staff
would provide direction t.o applicants pI ioe to placement of the
dlSh antennas.
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CONCLOSION
It 1s evident that directly applicable regulations are needed to
address this issue.
It appears appropriate that satellite
antenna regulations be developed in conjunction with the ongoing
revision of the Zoning Code of the City of Santa Monica.
Provisions that staff expect to include are specific height
requlrements, location standards (setbacks), building permit
requirements for structural and electrlcal work, screening
provlsions and some type of formal site plan review by Planning
staff prior to the issuance of a Building Permit.
Potentlal pre-emptlon of satellite dish regulation by the Federal
government was the subject of a separate communication from City
staff. Any regulatlon proposed by Clty staff would be deslgned to
be COn&lstent with applicable local, state or Federal laws.
Proposed standards will be revleweo by the pUblic, Planning
Commission and City Coucll in consideratlon of the revised Zoning
Code.
Plepare~ by:
Paul J. Silvern, Director of Planning
Barbara Renteria, Assistant Planner
Program and Policy Development Dlvision
Community and Economlc Development Department
G.
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