Sunroom Desk

Large telecommunications companies are well-equipped to fight many small battles to gain territory and market share. Concerned residents need to join forces and create a equally large body of opposition to prevent cellular towers from proliferating in residential neighborhoods.

Pasadena is fighting the same battle that Glendale residents just began against T-Mobile to oppose cellular towers in residential zones. A report by city planning staff on the city’s options is due to the Pasadena City Council in January 2009. Pacific Palisades fought to enforce its ordinance and won (apparently they hired outside legal representation); the editor heard (can someone confirm?) that La Canada fought and lost.

Oceanside, Windsor Hills, and Redlands, among other California cities, have also fought cellular tower placement, with varying success. As in Glendale, other communities’ residents are learning that both federal (Telecommunications Act of 1996) and state (California Public Utilities Commission) regulations make it impossible for municipalities to prohibit wireless equipment installation. However, cities should have the ability to dictate where such towers can be placed, and how they must blend in with the surrounding environment.

A great deal of time and effort is being spent by small groups of citizens in relatively small city council forums against much larger telecommunications companies with money to spend on legal representation. Rewriting the laws to give municipalities strong protection against invasive installations in residential zones is a one size fits most solution.