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The city and applicant for a franchise and other permits associated with the deployment of small wireless facilities face challenges in coordinating applicable legislative and administrative processes under the FCC regulations. Accordingly, in order to manage its city in a thoughtful manner which balances the need to accommodate new and evolving technologies with the preservation of the natural and aesthetic environment of the city, the city of Monroe has adopted this administrative process for the deployment of small wireless facilities.

A. Permit Required – Small Wireless Facility Permit. A small wireless facility permit is required for any small wireless facility unless specifically exempted.

B. Completeness. An application for a small wireless facility is not complete until the applicant has submitted all the applicable items required by MMC 22.62.120 and, to the extent relevant, has submitted all the applicable items in subsection (C) of this section and the city has confirmed that the application is complete. Grantees with a valid franchise for small wireless facilities may apply for a small wireless permit for the initial or additional placement of small wireless facilities at any time subject to the commencement of a new completeness review time period for permit processing.

C. Application Components. The director is authorized to establish franchise and other application forms to gather the information required by these ordinances from applicants.

1. Franchise. If any portion of the applicant’s facilities are to be located in the city’s right-of-way, the applicant shall apply for, and receive approval of, a franchise, consistent with the requirements in Chapter 5.54 MMC. An application for a franchise may be submitted concurrently with an application for small wireless facility permit(s).

2. Small Wireless Facility Permits. The applicant shall submit a small wireless facility permit application and associated components as required by this section. Prior to the issuance of the small wireless facility permit, the applicant shall pay the permit fee as set forth in the fee schedule which may be amended by city council from time to time, or the actual costs incurred by the city in reviewing such permit application. If the applicant desires to locate outside the rights-of-way, or has already obtained a franchise to deploy inside the rights-of-way, the applicant may apply directly for a small wireless facility permit.

3. Associated Application(s) and Checklist(s). Any application for a small wireless permit which contains an element which is not categorically exempt from SEPA review shall simultaneously apply under Chapter 43.21C RCW and Chapter 22.78 MMC. Further, any application proposing small wireless facilities in a shoreline area (pursuant to Chapter 22.82 MMC) or a critical area (pursuant to Chapter 22.80 MMC) shall indicate why the application is exempt or comply with the review processes in such codes. Applications for small wireless facilities in design zones or for new poles shall comply with the requirements in MMC 22.62.180.

4. Leases. An applicant who desires to attach a small wireless facility to any structure owned by the city shall include an application for a lease as a component of its application. Leases for the use of public property, structures, or facilities shall be submitted to the city council for approval. (Ord. 008/2022 § 4 (Exh. B))