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Topics Covered in "The Handbook of Wireless Site Acquisition and Permitting"
Part One- Wireless Site Acquisition
“Orientation to Wireless Site Acquisition and Permitting- Project Coordinator Training” explains the importance of infrastructure in the wireless industry, the need for real estate entitlements, and the environment in which site acquisition takes place all as part of Chapter 1, Wireless Industry Structure.
Twelve qualifications and fifteen essential functions are provided as context in Chapter 2, The Role of Site Acquisition. Progress milestones are highlighted, casting light on the tasks and outcomes derived from the site acquisition process in Chapter 3, Site Acquisition Contracting.
Background concerning wireless systems design in Chapter 4, Wireless System Design and the components that make up wireless infrastructure portray the texture of wireless facilities in Chapter 5, Wireless Facility Components.
Finally, an understanding provided in Chapter 6, Search Area Design supplies the perspective needed to understand how site acquisition assignments are generated.
“Site Search Due Diligence- Site Acquisition Birddog Training” focuses in Chapter 7, Search Area Assignment on search area evaluation and how information is gathered to characterize each search area.
Chapter 8, Search Area Mapping covers how to identify existing structures, areas of favorable zoning, and to determine property ownership. Environmental factors are considered.
Chapter 9, Zone-ability, Chapter 10, Constructability, and Chapter 11, Lease-ability focus on how potential locations are ranked.
Conversations and negotiations discussed in Chapter 12, Property Owner Communications talk about narrowing down qualified locations to determine the most desirable candidates for project development.
“Site Selection Analytics – Project Estimator Training” completes the first half of the story.
In Chapter 13, Search Area Report (SAR) the report is compiled with feasibility data that allows pertinent members discussed in Chapter 14, The Project Team to decide which location to develop.
Upon site selection, an in-depth report, covered in Chapter 15, Site Candidate Information Package (SCIP), of due diligence information collected for the chosen property is compiled for distribution to the project team.
At this point, the project transforms from a site selection process to development preparation for site construction.
Part Two- Wireless Site Development
“Project Preparations- Project Expediter Training” addresses the process of Chapter 16, Project Initiation of development activities leading toward the procurement of the real estate entitlements needed to prepare a location for construction or implementation of wireless facility infrastructure.
Chapter 17, Collocation Applications addresses the front end of utilizing space on an existing structure instead of implementing a new structure.
Chapter 18, Title Insurance Commitment involves work necessary to secure initial rights to survey the property, and conduct due diligence regarding the property’s title or ownership status, while Chapter 19, Standard Site Design and Chapter 20, Supplemental Site Design are about developing drawings and engineering reports.
To facilitate the project team’s due diligence efforts, a group visitation to the selected development location is scheduled with the property owner.
“Space Rights- Leasing Agent Training” is exclusively devoted to space agreements that need to be negotiated to secure real estate entitlement space and occupancy rights from the property or existing structure owner.
Chapter 21, Initial Space Rights about necessary preliminary property rights, Chapter 22, Leasing Concepts needed to cover some inevitable considerations for leasing property, Chapter 23, Collocation Agreements to wrap up the back-end of the collocation process, Chapter 24, Lease Provisions about standard wireless industry lease clauses, and Chapter 25, Purchase Contracts are all discussed in this Section/Training Level.
Often, as elaborated in Chapter 26, Miscellaneous Agreements additional agreements, waivers, and other documents related in some way to the property owner’s interest in the property are drafted and signed by parties. These additional documents help to secure the wireless site developer’s desired interest in the property and quality real estate entitlements. Finally, some attention to closing and documenting the leasing process finishes this section in Chapter 27, Final Space Rights.
“Local Permit Rights- Local Permit Consultant Training” explores the procurement of local permits necessary for construction and facility operation. These rights are land-use or zoning permission and building permits.
This Section/Training Level includes Chapter 28, Local Permit Applications about preparing and submitting applications, Chapter 29, Planning Staff Review about planning staff and building department review of applications, the community inquiry and reaction to wireless applications in Chapter 30, Community Due Diligence and Chapter 31, Governing Bodies and Public Hearings where achieving and granting final permit approvals are discussed.
Finally, guidance to secure support resources and strategies for responding to inquiries is provided for the reader.
“Real Estate Entitlement Completion” is a wrap up elaborating three perspectives: a project management point of view, the importance of close-out documentation, and the types of inquiries that may follow completion of the site acquisition and permitting phase of a wireless infrastructure project.
The Fifteen Essential Job Functions of Wireless Site Acquisition and Development
These are the standard tasks to perform wireless site acquisition in securing necessary real estate entitlements. These fifteen essential functions incorporate the entire cycle of the site acquisition process, from receiving a search area assignment through the acquisition and documentation of the entitlements necessary for a new facility to be installed or constructed and operated.
The text is organized to correspond with the sequence of the essential job functions. As such, subsections within each of the six sections following Section I group essential functions into the category of that section. Chapters are organized to address the sequence of essential functions throughout the process.
Search and identify specific properties as candidates for development based upon client-provided criteria, property owner interest, and the application of land-use regulations.
This is addressed in Chapter 8, “Search Area Mapping”; Chapter 9, “Zone-ability”; Chapter 10, “Constructability”; Chapter 11, “Lease-ability”; and Chapter 12, “Property Owner Communications.”
Assemble and submit a detailed report identifying qualifying candidates for selection consideration.
Addressed in Chapter 13, “Search Area Report.”
Participate in the site selection discussion by answering other team members’ questions, conducting further research, and reporting prior to site selection. Addressed in Chapter 14, “Project Team.”
Complete in-depth report to satisfy data requirements for the team to proceed with the project to develop wireless infrastructure on the selected site. Addressed in Chapter 15, “Site Candidate Information Package.”
Coordinate, schedule, and track site due diligence visits with or for technical teams.
Addressed in Chapter 16, “Project Initiation.”
Prepare, coordinate, and process applications for collocations.
Addressed in Chapter 17, “Collocation Applications.”
Coordinate, order, and track title work, site surveys, lease exhibits, environmental reports, regulatory reports, and construction drawings.
Addressed in Chapter 18, “Title Insurance Commitment,” and then in Chapter 19, “Site Design—Standard Drawings and Reports.”
Advise and assist project managers and construction managers with project perspective. Interpret, review, and redline, if necessary, site sketches, surveys, and construction drawings.
Addressed in Chapter 19, “Site Design—Standard Drawings and Reports,” Chapter 20, “Site Design—Supplemental Drawings and Reports.”
Negotiate agreements to acquire or modify space and use rights for infrastructure installation and operation, including maintenance and repair. Obtain property owner approval on engineering drawings and zoning/permit applications.
Addressed in Chapter 21, “Initial Space Rights”; Chapter 22, “Leasing Concepts”; Chapter 23, “Collocation Agreements”; Chapter 24, “Lease Provisions”; Chapter 25, “Purchase Contracts”; and Chapter 26, “Miscellaneous Agreements.”
Coordinate the process to finalize desirable space rights agreements and actively pursue processing so that projects may progress without unnecessary delays.
Addressed in Chapter 27, “Finalize Space Rights.”
Prepare, complete, obtain property owner approval for, and submit zoning and building permit applications to local authorities. Serve as the point of contact for local community inquiries.
Addressed in Chapter 28, “Local Permit Applications,” and Chapter 29, “Planning Staff Review.”
Coordinate the permit process, including support from vendors and outside counsel. Prepare for and attend public hearings, as necessary, to secure permit approvals.
Addressed in Chapter 30, “Community Due Diligence,”, Chapter 31, “Local Governing Bodies and Public Hearings,” and Chapter 32, “Final Local Permit Rights.”
Track, expedite, and document the progress of events leading to the acquisition of all real property entitlements necessary to build and operate wireless infrastructure (Project Management).
Addressed in The new/revised Chapter 33, “Project Management”
Coordinate handoff of the project with real estate entitlement close-out documentation for construction personnel to commence site construction (Close Out).
Addressed in Chapter 27, “Final Space Rights,”
Chapter 32, “Final Local Building Permits,” and
the new/revised Chapter 33- Topic 5, “Project Management Closing.”
Remain the primary contact for the property owner and jurisdiction project contact regarding issues as they arise (Customer Service).
Addressed in the Division Two Conclusion, “Final Thought.”
The Current State of Wireless Communications
In forty years since their birth, cell phones have transformed literally every aspect of our civilization from the physical assimilation of cell sites into our landscapes to the convergence of multiple services into our phone devices. Technology has revolutionized the cell phone into a smartphone, allowing us to send and receive electronic mail, take and transmit color photographs and live video, watch movies and live sports, manage time, browse the internet, engage in remote control, operate as a flashlight, compass, alarm clock, stopwatch, automated bank teller, calendar and, occasionally a telephone. Millions of applications have been developed to take advantage of the computing and communications power of smartphones throughout the world.
The Future of Wireless Communications
Our culture is experiencing an unprecedented explosion in the demand for wireless system capacity. 5G (5th generation) wireless is dramatically increasing the number of commercial mobile base stations in the U.S. and decreasing the size of neighborhood installations by removing the need for associated equipment near the antennas, resulting from the massive utilization of fiber optic transport systems to remotely connect with network facilities. As a result, rules, and regulations for siting wireless facilities have experienced universal transition. Firmly Anchored in Midair provides a comprehensive view of the present and future for wireless industry facility expansion and is an indispensable resource for many industry practitioners and novices alike.