Calif. Bill May Take Local Authority on Small Cells
A wireless bill in the California State Assembly could pre-empt local authority on siting small cells. SB-649 by Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee Chairman Ben Hueso (D) says small cells, like collocation facilities, are “not a municipal affair” but…
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“a matter of statewide concern.” It bans cities or counties considering applications for small cells from requiring an escrow deposit for removal of a wireless facility, limiting the duration of any wireless facility to less than 10 years or restricting facilities to sites owned by specific parties within the jurisdiction. “The bill that’s in the hopper now doesn’t actually say that small cells will not be ‘subject to a city or county discretionary permit,’ as collocation facilities are currently privileged to be,” Tellus Venture President Steve Blum said in a Tuesday blog post. “It does set the table for adding that exemption as SB 649 moves through the legislative sausage machine -- there would be little point to the bill otherwise.”