Glendale Holds Final Hearing on Wireless Ordinance; Los Angeles Holds Residents’ Petitions in Limbo 2


Impressive Effort and Results

From November 2008, when Northwest Glendale residents discovered a cell site was about to be installed in front of a home, to today’s final hearing on Glendale’s new wireless ordinance, it has been just one year and four months.

Within weeks of the first spontaneous protest to City Council, excavation for the disputed site was suspended, a moratorium was enacted, and work on a new wireless ordinance began.

The final draft ordinance is a result of considerable staff research, input from outside experts, comments from the public and industry at three community meetings and a Planning Commission review, and impacts from recent federal rulemaking. It reflects a full understanding of the current state of the law, and is a strong tool for restricting unnecessary cell site proliferation, especially in residential zones. City of Glendale staff and city council members deserve thanks for this immense effort.

Looking South

From May 2009, when I met residents of Los Angeles trying to bring attention to the problem of wireless facility proliferation in their city, to October 2009 when two LA Council members submitted resolutions calling for a review and revision of existing installation policies, until today, LA residents are still waiting for their city government to take the next step.

As they’ve waited, neighborhoods have been upset to discover wireless antennas and electrical boxes affixed to existing utility poles, or poles in the public right-of-way taken down and replaced with taller wireless transmission poles, all without proper notice. Repeated petitions to the city and LA DWP haven’t resulted in any action or accountability; LA DWP has stated that the “Joint Pole Agreement” precludes their oversight or has referred the matter to the LA City Attorney’s office, where it still sits after several months.

In the meantime, 38 Los Angeles neighborhood councils and community groups have sent resolutions to the city calling for a moratorium on wireless installations and/or a new wireless ordinance. Tomorrow night, the Hillside Federation of 36 Los Angeles homeowner groups from Pacific Palisades to Mount Washington will consider the issue. Here’s the list as of April 1 (links to these resolutions can be found on LA City Clerk Connect’s Council File 09-2645:

Pacific Palisades CC*
Brentwood CC*
Westside NC*
Bel Air-Beverly Crest NC*
Mar Vista CC*
Del Rey NC*
Venice NC*
South Robertson NC*
West Los Angeles NC*
Palms NC*
NC Westchester/Playa del Rey*
Westside Regional Alliance of Councils (*eleven members; each also separately passed a motion)
Pico NC
Greater Wilshire NC
Hollywood Hills West NC
Hollywood United NC (letter just sent March 30, 2010)
Central Hollywood NC
The Oaks Homeowners Assn.
Comstock Hills Assn.
Westwood So. of SM Assn.
Marina Peninsula Assn.
Glassell Park Improvement Assn.
San Pedro Peninsula Homeowners
United Pacific Palisades Residents Assn.
Silver Lake NC
Chatsworth NC
Granada Hills North NC
North Hills West NC
Northridge West NC
Granada Hills South NC
West Hills NC
Encino NC
Studio City NC
Tarzana NC
Sunland Tujunga NC
Northwest San Pedro NC
Coastal San Pedro NC


2 thoughts on “Glendale Holds Final Hearing on Wireless Ordinance; Los Angeles Holds Residents’ Petitions in Limbo

  • Kiku Lani Iwata

    This is wonderful what residents and city officials have been able to accomplish for the City of Glendale. It can serve as a positive example for other commnunities to follow. Thank you so much for continually informing and educating us about this journey.

  • Editor Post author

    Thank you, Kiku. I’ve heard that several other parties have contacted the city of Glendale for information on its ordinance (I’ll have some details in a post later this week).

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