Objections Piling Up at LA City Hall As
New Cell Sites Proliferate Without Notice 8


Cell Site Hanging Over Yard
The new cell site above was erected April 21 in Brentwood along a designated scenic route section of Sunset Blvd. in the public right-of-way, and “was apparently installed without notice or any regulation,” according to the Pacific Palisades Residents Association. It bears no identification of the responsible party or installer of the pole, the antennas or other equipment (according to a witness, the antennas were erected by unidentified workers operating out of an unmarked van). The 6 ft. cross-arm extension supports antennas that hang directly over the adjacent residential back yard.

Current Los Angeles regulations (or lack thereof) have no specific protections for residential areas and contain loopholes allowing providers to install tall cell towers with little or no notice within a few feet of homes and apartment buildings. Installations like these have occurred or been attempted in Hollywood, Hancock Park, Silverlake, the Marina, Mar Vista, West Los Angeles, Pacific Palisades, Cheviot Hils, Tarzana, San Pedro, North Hills, and Sunland-Tujunga, among other locations.

An April 28 letter from one of the affected residents’ associations refers LA city council members to Glendale’s new ordinance as it states:

Telecom companies publicly confirm that thousands of antennas are now being installed at a rapid pace in residential public right-of-ways. According to LADWP, the City does not even know how many of these installations exist or where they are located. Responding to these alarming developments, within the past several months 40 NCs/CCs/HOAs/federations (including the Westside Regional Alliance of Councils) – representing 75 organizations and over a million stakeholders City-wide – have formally expressed concerns and/or requested meaningful reform of Los Angeles’ wireless facilities regulations (see, e.g., many letters/motions on file in CF 09-2645).

We recognize that Councilmembers Reyes and Zine have recently called for expanded notice of AGF permit applications (CF 10-0664). While this is a step in the right direction, expanded notice under the current AGF ordinance would have no effect on utility pole cell site installations such as the facility depicted in the attached photograph, which are treated as “exempt” and therefore outside of notice requirements (or do not involve any AGF cabinets or structures requiring an AGF permit).

Meanwhile, with input from telecom companies and residents, Glendale (a fellow JPA member) recently enacted “one of the region’s most restrictive sets of regulations for cellular equipment in residential neighborhoods” (from the Glendale News Press). Consistent with state and federal law, the new Glendale ordinance regulates cell site installations on utility poles and discourages the siting of cell facilities in residential areas (Ord. No. 5692). We understand that Burbank and Culver City are considering following suit. Glendale may be a different city, but Los Angeles residents should be afforded no less protections under the law than Glendale residents.

After the above letter was submitted, the Mid-City Wilshire Neighborhood Council added its voice with this May 11 resolution calling for better regulation of cell sites in the city of Los Angeles.


8 thoughts on “Objections Piling Up at LA City Hall As
New Cell Sites Proliferate Without Notice

  • Karen Keehne Zimmerman

    The installation in the photograph has no identifying marker, was apparently erected by unidentified individuals working out of an unmarked van. Is there a way to determine what company/network is benefiting from this antenna? If so, they need to be held accountable. There must be consequences. If not, a proliferation of these kinds of no I.D. installations could result, much like what happened in L.A. with the explosion of medical marijuana dispensaries.

  • Erin

    There are two cell towers within 3/4ths of a mile of each other on Palms Blvd in the Mar Vista area. There was no notice and they are literally 10 feet from someone’s home.

  • Chris Spitz

    Installations such as these — utilizing new or replacement utility poles located in public rights of way in residential areas of Mar Vista and elsewhere throughout Los Angeles — are deemed by city officials to be completely exempt from regulation. Thus, it is difficult if not impossible to take action against the telecom company involved (even if their identity could be determined). It may be possible to learn the identity from DWP (which typically shares use of the poles and/or gives permission to the telecom to install its equipment), but DWP is reluctant to give out any information which it regards as “proprietary.” Unless Los Angeles’ regulations are substantially revised (as occurred recently in Glendale), these types of unregulated installations will continue unabated (as with the enormous billboards and medical marijuana clinics). Anyone seeking more information about the situation in Los Angeles and what can be done about it may contact info@pprainc.org.

  • Tom Thompson

    Horrendous that corporations, that have no interest or concern about the communities where they place these monstronsities — and an outrage that the city would allow such a thing. It is critical that people write their city council members, the mayor, and the cell phone companies (T-mobile) to voice their dissaproval. the only way to prevent this is to make a HUGE stink, and a PR nightmare for T-mobile.

  • Steve

    Horrendous that corporations, that have no interest or concern about the communities where they place these monstronsities — and an outrage that the city would allow such a thing. It is critical that people write their city council members, the mayor, and the cell phone companies (T-mobile) to voice their dissaproval. the only way to prevent this is to make a HUGE stink, and a PR nightmare for T-mobile.

  • Emily

    Installations such as these — utilizing new or replacement utility poles located in public rights of way in residential areas of Mar Vista and elsewhere throughout Los Angeles — are deemed by city officials to be completely exempt from regulation. Thus, it is difficult if not impossible to take action against the telecom company involved (even if their identity could be determined). It may be possible to learn the identity from DWP (which typically shares use of the poles and/or gives permission to the telecom to install its equipment), but DWP is reluctant to give out any information which it regards as “proprietary.” Unless Los Angeles’ regulations are substantially revised (as occurred recently in Glendale), these types of unregulated installations will continue unabated (as with the enormous billboards and medical marijuana clinics). Anyone seeking more information about the situation in Los Angeles and what can be done about it may contact info@pprainc.org.

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