City Continues Cell Phone Tower Talks

The Burlingame City Council will consider adopting a temporary moratorium on cell phone antenna construction at its meeting Tuesday night.

According to a staff report, "the purpose of the moratorium is to provide time for the City Council and the City to study and consider this issue prior to adopting a comprehensive city ordinance addressing this matter."

In October 2010, ExteNet and T-Mobile applied with the Public Works Department to install cell phone antennae (or towers) within the city. At the time, only regulations existed regarding satellite dishes and other antennae attached to roofs--not those used for cell phones.

At a , many residents spoke out against the towers and pushed for a moratorium until provided with more information.

The moratorium will not apply to the Extenet and t-Mobile applications currently submitted, but those submitted in the future.

The moratorium must obtain and four of five member "yes" vote from the council, and will last 45 days. It can then be extended for up to 10 months and 15 days. It can be extended twice, but can not exceed two years.

Citizens have many issues with the proposed towers, including unsatisfactory information and response from the cell phone companies, incomplete notification and the effect towers would have on property value.

However, City Attorney Gus Guinan reminded residents that under the Federal Telecommunications Act, the City most likely can not use environmental factors as reasoning against antennas.

“As long as the facilities are compliant with FCC regulations, local agency decisions can not be grounded on the environmental health effects of RF emissions,” he said. 

The council meets at 7 p.m. at City Hall. For a full agenda, click here.