Follow San Diego’s Example to Keep Cellular Antennae Out of Glendale Residential Zones 1


San Diego’s 2003 Wireless Telecommunications Facilities ordinance, adopted in April 2003, strictly limits the placement of cellular antennae and other equipment within the city and county, and prohibits almost any installation in residential areas. See pages 215 through 230 of the municipal code here.

Sprint Nextel sued to have the ordinance overturned and won the initial court case. Thankfully, San Diego appealed the matter, and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in San Diego’s favor this September 2008.

Here are relevant portions of the ordinance I believe our Glendale, California community could adopt:

6982 PURPOSE: …to encourage siting in preferred locations to minimize aesthetic impacts and to minimize the intrusion of these uses into residential areas.

6984 APPLICATIONS REQUIREMENTS: …A letter stating the applicant’s willingness to allow other carriers to co-locate on their facilities wherever technically and economically feasible and aesthetically desirable.

The ordinance breaks down the permit process into 4 tiers, with the 4th being the most rigorous for the applicant based on the fact that it is being applied for in a non-preferred zone.

6985 APPLICATION PROCESSING: …based upon the following 4-tier permitting system…TIER 4 – MAJOR USE PERMIT. Facilities meeting the following criteria shall be processed as a MAJOR USE PERMIT:…All facilities in Residential and Rural zones…

…No tower or equipment shall be located in a front, rear or side yard setback in any zone and no portion of any antenna array shall extend beyond the property lines.

After a listing of preferred zones and locations, including commercial and industrial areas, structures such as water tanks, roadway overpasses, county or other government facilities, all other zones, including all residential zones, are classified as “non-preferred.”

Projects in a non-preferred zone or non-preferred location shall not be approved when siting in a preferred zone or preferred location is feasible unless a finding is made that the proposed site is preferable due to aesthetic and community character compatibility.

And while my research is ongoing, no one at the city can yet tell me if permits have been issued for cellular antennae installations in other residential areas of Glendale. Through the grapevine, I’ve heard of one in the Glen Knolls area, and another in Rancho San Rafael. If anyone has specifics, please forward them here!


One thought on “Follow San Diego’s Example to Keep Cellular Antennae Out of Glendale Residential Zones

  • Kendyl Young

    From a Realtor’s perspective I can tell you that the considered placement of the current cell equipment is wrong headed and unfairly damages the property rights of the immediate residents. This equipment will have an negative aesthetic effect and that impacts property value.

    NIMBY-ism is a difficult issue in the best of times, but at least the cell company should make SOME sort of case as to why this location is necessary over a less controversial one.

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