City moves forward on tower sites

Hamstrung by federal and state laws to prevent the installation of cellular facilities, city officials have opted for a master plan to consolidate them and make them less noticeable.

The City Council directed City Manager Ken Frank in July 2006 to work with ATS Communications to devise detailed plans to locate the facilities for wireless service providers on 10 city parcels, hoping to reduce or forestall the proliferation of antennas and other equipment, improve cellphone service for residents — and make a profit from leases.

“I like the managed control approach and us managing it,” Councilwoman Elizabeth Schneider said.

The council approved a staff and ATS recommendation authorizing the preparation of formal proposals for each of the 10 sites and to submit them to the Design Review Board.

The designs could include fake trees and faux rock piles or benches to disguise equipment. ATS spokesman William Lynch called the fakery “stealth.”

Councilwoman Toni Iseman called it awful.

“We are trying to raise the bar on design,” Lynch said. The “monopalm” is designed to conceal antennae in the fronds. “Monopines” extend above and beyond the antennae.

Other stealth options include a replacement flag pole and a fake chimney at one site, a rooftop cupola on another. Light standards are also handy.

“I am shocked by this agenda item,” former Councilwoman Ann Christoph said.

She recalled that the council went through hoops years ago to deal with the issue of willy nilly cell tower installations without city approvals. The hoops included legal action, which the city lost.

“But why open the door?” Christoph said. “It’s not appropriate.”

City parks are among the sites pinpointed by ATS that meet the needs of the various service providers.

Some of the sites were suitable for only one of the carriers, while others suit the requirements for new facilities for two or more providers.

ATS reported that Sprint PCS has perhaps the least need for new facilities, while companies such as Metro PCS and T-Mobile appear to have the most need for additional cell sites.

The 10 sites picked by ATS:

 Fire Station 3

 Laguna Beach Animal Shelter

 Lang Park

 Kids Club House above Bluebird Park

 DeWitt House

 Alta Laguna Park

 Moulton Meadows Park

 Boat Canyon Park

 Third Street properties (future site of senior/community center)

 City maintenance yard

Moulton Meadows was likely to be the site of choice for five of the carriers, ATS opined.

Iseman was horrified by the notion of putting the facilities in the proximity of children’s playgrounds, but federal laws preclude a discussion of health or safety issues related to the installations.

“Using city properties could reduce or forestall the proliferation of antennas and other facilities in the public rights-of-way since the state and federal governments have abrogated a great deal of a city’s authority to regulate those facilities,” Frank said.

Furthermore, he said, numerous areas in the city are not now well served by cellular companies, which is frustrating for them and hinders emergency services.

“Yes, there could be fake trees or rocks or antennas attached to the side of buildings, but [this] may provide the city with the opportunity for better locations than might get jammed down our throats,” Frank said.

An additional plus: Leasing city property for the installations will put about $2,000 a month from each leased location into the city coffers, always welcome news.