AB348: Bill Text

LRB-2103/2

MES&MDK:wlj

2017 - 2018 LEGISLATURE

2017 Assembly BILL 348

May 25, 2017 - Introduced by Representatives Kuglitsch, Fields, Quinn, Mason, Tauchen, Zepnick and R. Brooks, cosponsored by Senator Cowles. Referred to Committee on Jobs and the Economy.

AB348,1,4 An Act to create 66.0404 (4e) and 66.0414 of the statutes; relating to: limiting the authority of the state and political subdivisions to regulate wireless facilities and authorizing political subdivisions to impose setback requirements for certain mobile service support structures.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill creates a regulatory framework for the state and political subdivisions (cities, villages, towns, and counties) for the deployment of wireless equipment and facilities, including the placement of such items in rights-of-way (ROW), the collocation of such facilities on existing poles and structures, the regulation of access to governmental structures by wireless services and infrastructure providers, and limitations on local authority to regulate such activities. The bill also authorizes political subdivisions to impose setback requirements for certain mobile service support structures.

Rights-of-way

With regard to ROW, the bill does the following:

1. Prohibits the state and political subdivisions from entering into an exclusive agreement with any person for the use of ROW or the construction, operation, or maintenance of wireless facilities, wireless support structures, or the collocation of small wireless facilities (collectively, wireless facilities and structures). The bill defines “wireless facility” as equipment at a fixed location that enables wireless service between user equipment and a wireless network. Under the bill, a “small wireless facility” is a facility that has specified dimensions.

2. Provides that the state and political subdivisions may impose rates or fees on wireless providers only if they charge other communications service providers or utilities for the use of ROW, subject to a number of conditions and limitations.

3. Subject to a number of exceptions, and notwithstanding a political subdivision's zoning ordinances, authorizes a wireless provider to collocate wireless facilities and construct, modify, maintain, and operate (collectively, construct and operate) utility poles, wireless support structures, cable, and related appurtenances and facilities along, across, upon, and under ROW, provided such activity does not obstruct or hinder travel or public safety or impede other uses of ROW by communications service providers, public utilities, or cooperatives.

4. Limits the height of utility poles, wireless support structures, and wireless facilities. With regard to the rights of a wireless provider to construct wireless facilities or modify utility poles, wireless support structures, and related appurtenances, the bill allows a political subdivision to propose an alternate location within 50 feet of the proposed location, which the wireless provider must use if it has the right to do so and the alternate location is reasonable and does not impose additional cost or technical issues, as determined by the wireless provider.

5. Allows the state or political subdivisions to require a wireless provider to repair all damage that is directly caused by its activities in ROW that involve wireless facilities and structures.

Collocation of small wireless facilities

With regard to the activities of a wireless provider within and outside a ROW, the bill does the following:

1. Subject to a number of exceptions, prohibits the state and political subdivisions from prohibiting, regulating, or charging any person for the collocation of small wireless facilities.

2. Notwithstanding a political subdivision's zoning ordinances, classifies small wireless facilities as a permitted use that is not subject to such zoning ordinances if they are collocated in or outside a ROW if the property is not zoned exclusively for single-family residential use.

3. Subject to a number of conditions, authorizes the state and political subdivisions to require an application for a permit to collocate a small wireless facility and to construct and operate a new or replacement utility pole or wireless support structure if the permit is of general applicability and does not apply exclusively to wireless facilities. The bill imposes various time limits relating to the permit application and approval process. Generally, permits for collocation involving construction, building, or encroachment must be approved or denied within 90 days of receipt, and permits for collocation that does not involve construction or installation of new wireless facilities and structures must be approved or denied within 60 days of receipt.

4. Requires the state or political subdivisions to approve permit applications unless the application does not meet applicable codes, which are defined as state codes related to electrical wiring, plumbing, and fire prevention; commercial building codes; uniform dwelling codes; and local amendments to those codes.

5. Prohibits the state and political subdivisions from requiring an applicant to perform services unrelated to the collocation to which a permit relates, and prohibits such governmental units from requiring a wireless provider permit applicant to provide more information in its permit application than the governmental unit requires of communications service providers for the same type of permit.

6. Requires an applicant whose permit application is approved to commence the activity authorized by the permit within 365 days after its receipt and requires the applicant to pursue work on the activity until completion. However, the bill prohibits the state and political subdivisions from placing any time limit on an application related to the permit.

7. Prohibits the state and political subdivisions from imposing a moratorium on filing, receiving, or processing applications, or issuing permits for the collocation of small wireless facilities.

8. Allows the state and political subdivisions to require a permit application to collocate wireless facilities and construct and operate utility poles and wireless facilities and structures with regard to property that, on the effective date of the bill, is located in historic places or in an area that is used for the underground transmission or delivery of electrical power, heat, water, gas, sewer, or telecommunications equipment.

9. Subject to a number of conditions, authorizes the state and political subdivisions to charge an application fee for permits if an application fee is required for similar types of permit applications related to other types of commercial development. Generally, neither the state nor a political subdivision may require applications, permits, or fees for routine maintenance of wireless facilities; the replacement of such facilities with substantially similar or smaller facilities; or installation, maintenance, operation, or replacement of microwireless facilities strung on cables between existing utility poles or wireless support structures.

Access to governmental structures

With regard to regulating access to governmental structures, the bill does the following:

1. Defines “governmental pole” as a utility pole that is owned or operated by the state or a political subdivision in a ROW, and a pole or similar structure owned or operated by the state or a political subdivision in a ROW that supports only wireless facilities.

2. Defines “utility pole for designated services” (UPDS) as a utility pole owned or operated in a ROW by the state or a political subdivision, a utility district, or a cooperative association.

3. Prohibits a person who owns or controls a governmental pole or UPDS from entering into an exclusive arrangement with any person for the right to attach to or use such poles, and prohibits the owner of such poles from imposing fees or charges for the use of the poles that discriminate based on the type of collocation provided by the person who contracts to use the poles.

4. Limits the rate an owner of a UPDS may charge to collocate on the pole to $100 per year per pole.

5. Subject to a number of conditions, limits the rate an owner of a governmental pole charges another person to collocate on the pole to an amount that is sufficient to recover the owner's actual, direct, and reasonable costs, subject to the limit specified in item 4.

6. Provides that if collocation rates charged on the effective date of the bill by a person who owns or controls a governmental pole or UPDS are inconsistent with the rates specified in the bill, the pole owner must revise its rates to be in compliance with the rates specified in the bill, not later than the first day of the seventh month beginning after the bill takes effect.

7. Provides that a person who owns or controls a governmental pole or UPDS may not require more make-ready work than required to meet applicable codes or industry standards, and prohibits fees for make-ready work from including costs related to preexisting conditions, prior damage, or noncompliance with current standards. Such fees may not exceed actual costs or the amount charged to other communications service providers for similar work.

8. Requires the state and political subdivisions to authorize the collocation of small wireless facilities on wireless support structures and governmental poles that are not located within ROW to the same extent that the governmental unit permits access to such structures for other commercial projects or uses.

Local authority, dispute resolution

With regard to the authority of a political subdivision, the bill does the following:

1. Subject to the limitations contained in the bill, and federal law, authorizes a political subdivision to exercise zoning, land use, planning, and permitting authority with respect to wireless support structures and utility poles.

2. In general, prohibits a political subdivision from exercising authority over the design, engineering, construction, installation, or operation of any small wireless facility located inside or on the site of any campus, stadium, or athletic facility not owned or controlled by the political subdivision.

3. Provides a mechanism for political subdivisions to allow the placement of a wireless facility or wireless support structure at a temporary rate pending the resolution of a ROW dispute.

Indemnification

In general, the bill requires a wireless provider to indemnify and hold harmless a political subdivision for any liability and loss from personal injury or property damage that results from the use or occupancy of ROW by the wireless provider, and requires a wireless provider to waive any claims it may have against a political subdivision with respect to damages, however caused, based on the theory of liability.

Contracts

If a person is affected by a contract that is in effect on the effective date of the bill, and the contract contains provisions inconsistent with provisions in the bill related to rates and fees for the use of ROW or charges for the use of a governmental pole or a UPDS, the person may follow the terms of the contract until the contract expires.

Setback requirements for a mobile service support structure

Generally, under current law, a political subdivision may not impose a setback requirement for a mobile service support structure. This bill grants a political subdivision limited authority to impose a setback requirement on the placement of such a structure with regard to new or substantially modified structures. Under the bill, a requirement could apply only to a structure that is constructed on land that is zoned for only single-family residential use. In addition, the setback requirement must be based on the height of the proposed structure, and the requirement may not exceed the height of the proposed structure.

Also under the bill, a political subdivision must allow a setback of a proposed mobile service support structure that is less than the height of the structure if all property owners of lots zoned for only single-family residential use, located within a radius of three times the height of the structure, consent to such placement.

For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.