Sunroom Desk

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors will consider a motion seeking repeal of provisions in the Federal Telecommunications Act of 1996 that restrict local control over wireless facility installations, at its next meeting, Tuesday, June 2, 2009.

The motion, by Zev Yaroslavsky and Michael Antonovich, includes direction to County advocates to submit comments to the FCC for consideration in its drafting of a national broadband policy. It also supports changes in state legislation giving local governments more control over cell site installations. Excerpt from the motion:

WE, THEREFORE, MOVE that the Board of Supervisors instruct the County’s legislative advocates to actively seek and support federal legislation to repeal limitations on state and local authority imposed by the Telecommunications Act of 1996 that infringe upon the authority of local governments to regulate the placement, construction, and modification of telecommunications towers and other personal wireless services facilities on the basis of the health and environmental effects of these facilities, and to submit comments on the National Broadband Policy in furtherance of these policy goals prior to the June 8, 2009 comment deadline.

WE FURTHER MOVE that the Board of Supervisors instruct the County’s legislative advocates to actively seek and support state legislation that would give local governments greater flexibility to regulate the placement of cellular facilities within the road right of way given the unique aesthetic and safety issues that these facilities raise.

A representative from Glendale Organized Against Cell Towers, along with a regional coalition of representatives fighting cell site installations throughout Los Angeles County, met recently with two of the county supervisors to discuss their opposition to specific sites, as well as federal and state limitations on local control of wireless facilities.