Cellular phone antennas may become more strictly regulated in Los Altos over upcoming months.
After reviewing the report from the Wireless Communications Subcommittee, Oct. 12, the Los Altos City Council directed staff to prepare an ordinance instead of amending existing guidelines regulating the placement, design and safety standards of cellular phone antennas in town. The subcommittee determined an ordinance would be stronger than guidelines.
Subcommittee member Councilman King Lear said a consultant could review the proposed ordinance, once drafted, rather than follow an earlier recommendation to hire a consultant for $25,000 to develop a Master Plan.
The original task of revamping the city’s 1997 Wireless Communication Facility Guidelines was proposed after the city could not prevent the installation of two 45-foot monopoles in residential neighborhoods because of ambiguous city guidelines.
At the Oct. 12 meeting, the council also expanded the scope of the project to include computer wireless systems as well as cell phones.
Legally, Los Altos can’t ban cell phone towers from the city or deny a permit based on health effects if the towers fall under nationally accepted emission levels, according to the Federal Telecommunications Act of 1996.
The only authority city officials have regarding cell phone towers is their placement and appearance.
Under the guidelines, although providers are discouraged from placing towers on residential properties, they are technically allowed to place them on any property in the city.
Mayor pro tem David Casas requested the staff to examine the possibility of imposing a moratorium on applications while the ordinance is drafted.
While the task force is charged with acting as a watchdog over the placement of towers, its other duty includes working with providers to improve cell phone reception with the least amount of impact to the community.
