Permit for new non-authority utility pole to support small wireless facilities.
Tampa City Code § 22-327.2
in effectSec. 22-327.2. - Permit for new non-authority utility pole to support small wireless facilities.
As part of any permit application to place a new non-authority utility pole to support the collocation of a small wireless facility(-ies), a wireless provider applicant shall provide a small wireless facility (SWFC) application that includes, at a minimum, the information described below. Applications that propose replacing existing, non-authority poles, shall be accepted and processed by the city, in accordance with this section.
(a) Minimum application submittal requirements. No permit shall be issued unless a wireless provider applicant submits a written application to the city, in accordance with this subdivision. An application for a permit shall be filed in accordance with the submittal requirements set forth in section 22-327.1(a), and shall include the following additional information:
(1) A certificate of appropriateness, as applicable, pursuant to section 27-328;
(2) As part of the required construction plans, the survey must also include all utility poles located in the same right(s)-of-way as the proposed pole(s), identifying the height of the existing pole(s) as measured from existing grade, within five hundred (500) feet in any direction; and,
(3) A SWFC application from a wireless infrastructure provider must include an attestation by an officer of the registrant that small wireless facilities will be collocated on the utility pole or structure and will be used by a wireless services provider, to provide service, within nine (9) months after the date the application is approved.
(b) Application quantity. An application to collocate small wireless facilities on a new non-authority pole shall be limited to one (1) new pole per application, unless otherwise determined by the city during the pre-application conference.
(c) Decision and notice for application submittal (completeness). Refer to section 22-327.1(c).
(d) Decision and notice for application (permit issuance/denial). Refer to section 22-327.1(d).
(e) Alternative location: Within fourteen (14) days after the date of filing the SWFC application, the city may request that the proposed location of a small wireless facility be moved to another location in the rights-of-way and placed on an alternative authority utility pole (refer to "make ready" provisions set forth in section 27-327.3(f)(2)), or support structure, or request the wireless provider applicant to place a new utility pole. The city and the wireless provider applicant may negotiate the alternative location, including any objective design standards and reasonable spacing requirements for ground-based equipment, for thirty (30) days after the date of the request. At the conclusion of the negotiation period, if the alternative location is accepted by the wireless provider applicant, the wireless provider applicant must notify the authority of such acceptance and the SWFC application shall be deemed granted for any new location(s) for which there is agreement. If an agreement is not reached, the wireless provider applicant must notify the authority of such non-agreement and the authority must grant or deny the original SWFC application within ninety (90) days after the date the application was filed. A request for an alternative location, an acceptance of an alternative location, or a rejection of an alternative location must be in writing and provided by electronic mail.
(f) Permit review criteria.
(1) The city shall approve an application and issue a right-of-way permit to a wireless provider applicant once said applicant has demonstrated compliance with the following non-discriminatory, objective criteria and applicable codes:
a. The height of a small wireless facility shall be limited to ten (10) feet above the utility pole upon which the small wireless facility is to be collocated;
b. The height for a new utility pole is limited to the tallest existing utility pole as of July 1, 2017, located in the same rights-of-way, measured from existing grade, within five hundred (500) feet in any direction, of the proposed location of the small wireless facility. If there is no utility pole within five hundred (500) feet, the city shall limit the height of the utility pole to fifty (50) feet;
c. The application shall demonstrate compliance with applicable codes, as defined in this chapter, and design standards set forth in sec. 22-328;
d. The application shall demonstrate compliance with the requirements set forth in division 4 below for insurance, indemnification, and performance bonds;
e. Airport airspace protections. The application shall include evidence of and statement that any structure to be installed pursuant to this article shall comply with F.S. Ch. 333, and federal regulations pertaining to airport airspace protections.
(2) The city shall deny a proposed collocation of a small wireless facility in the public rights-of-way, if the proposed collocation:
a. Materially interferes with the safe operation of traffic control equipment;
b. Materially interferes with sight lines or clear zones for transportation, pedestrians, or public safety purposes;
c. Materially interferes with compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act or similar federal or state standards regarding pedestrian access or movement;
d. Materially fails to comply with the 2010 Florida Department of Transportation Utility Accommodation Manual;
e. Fails to comply with criteria set forth in (e)(1) above, applicable codes (as defined in section 22-5), or design standards set forth in section 22-328.
(Ord. No. 2017-150, § 49, 10-26-2017)
Source: City of Tampa, Code of Ordinances and Charter and Related Laws (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/fl/tampa/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH22STSI_ARTIVCOFAPURI-W_DIV3GEPEREPR_SD2SPPEAPREREPR_S22-327.2PENENTHUTPOSUSMWIFAFetched: 10/28/2026