PD Background Report (PL-USE-2023-000008)

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Nationwide Safety Public Broadband Network (FirstNet), intended to improve access to and functioning of 9-1-1 emergency services. 3. Co-location: The proposed facility will be located approximately 700 feet away from a parcel with an existing Use Permit (USE 15-000059) which allowed Verizon Wireless to establish a 155-foot "monopine" cell tower. As of the date of this writing, Verizon has not constructed the proposed tower and was recently issued an administrative time extension to complete construction by June 9, 2027. AT&T states that although they attempted to communicate with Verizon to determine whether co-location was possible, they received no commitments or assurances that the Verizon tower would be constructed and available for co-location. 4. Tower Height Justification: According to the applicant, AT&T's radio frequency (RF) engineers performed an RF engineering study to determine the required site location and antenna height to fulfill the project's service coverage objectives. The application states that the proposed 150-foot-tall tower height is necessary to reliably fill the existing wireless service coverage gap and to support the FirstNet Network. 5. Supportive Information: The applicant has submitted the attached in support of the request: (Planning Department Exhibit 1 — Use Permit Application submitted on February 10,2023 with Supplemental Information submitted on January 11,2024) 6. Landowner: Hawai`i Akatsuka Farm Inc. BACKGROUND INFORMATION 7. Telecommunications Act of 1996: The Telecommunications Act of 1996, Section 704, as amended, recognizes the absence of health hazards from wireless radio wave transmissions and prohibits local authorities from regulating the placement of such towers based on environmental effects, so long as the towers comply with the Federal Communication Commission's (FCC) guidelines. The applicant and subsequent tenant telecommunication service providers will comply with all Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) rules. 8. Hawai`i Revised Statutes 46-89: Pursuant to this HRS section, the Planning Commission (PC) of Hawaii County has the authority to approve, approve with modification, or disapprove all applications for broadband-related permits within 60 days of submission of a complete permit application. If, on the 61st day, the PC has not 2