Streamlined Processing

  1. Law
  2. Georgia Code
  3. Local Government
  4. Mobile Broadband Infrastructure Leads to Development
  5. Streamlined Processing

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  1. Applications for collocation or modification of a wireless facility entitled to streamlined processing under this Code section shall be reviewed for conformance with applicable site plan and building permit requirements, including zoning and land use conformity, but shall not otherwise be subject to the issuance of additional zoning, land use, or special use permit approvals beyond the initial zoning, land use, or special permit approvals issued for such wireless support structure or wireless facility. The intent of this Code section is to allow previously approved wireless support structures and wireless facilities to be modified or collocations thereto to be accepted without additional zoning or land use review beyond that which is typically required by the local governing authority for the issuance of building or electrical permits.
  2. The streamlined process set forth in subsection (a) of this Code section shall apply to applications for proposed modifications and to applications for proposed collocations that meet the following requirements:
    1. The proposed modification or collocation shall not increase the overall height or width of the wireless support structure to which the wireless facilities are to be attached;
    2. The proposed modification or collocation shall not increase the dimensions of the equipment compound initially approved by the local governing authority;
    3. The proposed modification or collocation shall comply with applicable conditions of approval, if any, applied to the initial wireless facilities and wireless support structure, as well as any subsequently adopted amendments to such conditions of approval; and
    4. The proposed modification or collocation shall not exceed the applicable weight limits for the wireless support structure, as demonstrated by a letter from a structural engineer licensed to practice in this state.
  3. A local governing authority's review of an application to modify or collocate wireless facilities on an existing wireless support structure shall not include an evaluation of the technical, business, or service characteristics of such proposed wireless facilities. A local governing authority shall not require an applicant to submit radio frequency analyses or any other documentation intended to demonstrate the proposed service characteristics of the proposed wireless facilities, to illustrate the need for such wireless facilities, or to justify the business decision to collocate such wireless facilities; provided, however, that the local governing authority may require the applicant to provide a letter from a radio frequency engineer certifying the applicant's proposed wireless facilities will not interfere with public safety emergency communications.
  4. Within 90 calendar days of the date an application for modification or collocation of wireless facilities is filed with the local governing authority, unless another date is specified in a written agreement between the local governing authority and the applicant, the local governing authority shall:
    1. Make its final decision to approve or disapprove the application; and
    2. Advise the applicant in writing of its final decision.
  5. Within 30 calendar days of the date an application for modification or collocation is filed with the local governing authority, the local governing authority shall determine if it is a complete application and, if it determines the application is not a complete application, notify the applicant in writing of any information required to complete such application. To the extent additional information is required to complete the application, the time required by the applicant to provide such information shall not be counted toward the 90 calendar day review period set forth in subsection (d) of this Code section. Information requested to complete the application may only include the documents, information, and fees specifically enumerated in the local governing authority's regulations, ordinances, and forms pertaining to the location, construction, collocation, modification, or operation of wireless facilities.

(Code 1981, §36-66B-4, enacted by Ga. L. 2010, p. 328, § 1/SB 432; Ga. L. 2014, p. 413, § 1/HB 176.)


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