Alabama § 37-17-2 - Rights of Authorities Regarding Small Wireless Facilities and Associated Poles.

§ 37-17-2. Rights of Authorities Regarding Small Wireless Facilities and Associated Poles.

(a) An authority may not deny a wireless provider the right, as a permitted use subject to Section 37-17-3 and the authority’s requirements not in conflict with this chapter or a then-existing final order of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), to do either of the following:

(1) Collocate, mount, or install small wireless facilities on or adjacent to existing, new, or replacement poles in the right-of-way.

(2) Install, modify, or replace its own poles, or, with the permission of the owner, a third party’s poles, associated with a small wireless facility, along, across, upon, and under the right-of-way controlled by the authority.

(b) For purposes of this section, any new or modified pole may not exceed the greater of either of the following:

(1) Ten feet in height above the tallest existing pole in place as of July 1, 2021, located within 500 feet of the new pole in the same right-of-way controlled by the authority.

(2) Fifty feet above ground level.

(c) The small wireless facilities and associated poles shall be installed and maintained in accordance with the authority’s requirements not in conflict with this chapter or a then-existing final order of the FCC and as not to obstruct or hinder the usual travel and public safety on the right-of-way and adjacent roads and bridges or obstruct the legal use of the right-of-way by utilities.

(d) A wireless provider may collocate a small wireless facility and install, maintain, modify, operate, and replace a pole that exceeds these height limits along, across, upon, and under the right-of-way, subject to applicable zoning regulations or other applicable requirements of the authority.