Opinion ID: 3010911
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Effect of the Ho-Ho-Kus Zoning Ordinance

Text: As previously noted, construction of the proposed wireless communications facility at the center of this case would require thirteen variances from the Zoning Ordinance of the Borough of Ho-Ho-Kus. The Ordinance, for example, limits the height of radio and television antennae to 50 feet, while the proposed monopole and antennae would be 127 feet high. The Ordinance also includes a fall down zone provision that requires the distance between the monopole and all adjacent property lines to be at least as far as the monopole is high. The proposed monopole, however, would stand just 4.25 feet from one adjoining property line and 26.42 feet from another. The providers argue that because wireless communication antennae must be located above the tree line, a 50-foot height restriction in a locality such as HoHo-Kus, where the prevailing tree line is 70 feet, amounts to an effective ban on wireless facilities. Similarly, they argue that because the fall-down provision limits their proposed facility to sites containing a minimum of 1-1/2 acres in a town where there is virtually no open space, it too has a prohibitory effect. These arguments fail to address the central issue, however. The Telecommunications Act bars local regulation that prohibits or has the effect of prohibiting personal wireless services, not the facilities that provide those services. Under the right conditions, it may be possible to provide an adequate level of personal wireless services to a particular community solely through facilities located outside that community. We _________________________________________________________________ proposed tower will be installed next to a railway and several roads that the cellular companies described as significant commuter routes. According to the cellular companies' data, signal strength on Route 17, as it passed through Ho-Ho-Kus, fell well below what the companies say is acceptable service. We suggest the district court consider such factors in determining what constitutes a significant gap in service. 10 are not prepared to hold that every community must permit wireless communication facilities somewhere within its borders regardless of the need for such facilities, nor do the facts of this case require us to decide the issue now. The issue here is whether the Board's rejection of the proposed wireless communication facilities has the effect of prohibiting personal wireless services. The providers acknowledge that some level of personal wireless service currently exists in Ho-Ho-Kus, although the level of service provided by each ranges from spotty to unreliable to nonexistent. For its part, the Board has assessed the quality of existing service and determined that the improvements offered by the proposed facility are outweighed by its negative impact on the community. In assessing overall quality, however, the Board never specifically determined whether there are significant gaps in the current service. Consequently, we will reverse the district court's summary judgment on the issue of prohibitory effect. While we have held that local officials are not barred from considering the quality of existing wireless service and, in the first instance at least, whether there are any significant gaps in that service, we note that their findings on this issue are not reviewed under the substantial evidence standard. That standard applies only to decisions denying requests for authorization to place, construct or modify personal wireless facilities. In contrast, the statutory bar against regulatory prohibition is absolute, and does not anticipate any deference to local findings. See 47 U.S.C.A. S 332(c)(7)(B)(i)(II). Because we believe the communication providers have presented evidence that there may be significant gaps that only the proposed facility can close, we will reverse summary judgment on the issue of prohibitory effect.