CALABASAS : Limits Considered for Satellite TV Dishes

Calabasas, spurred by complaints from several residents, is considering enacting an ordinance that places restrictions on the installation of satellite television dishes.

Mayor Karyn Foley) and building official Tim Steenson said they have received calls from residents complaining that neighbors have installed dishes obstructing their view and creating an eyesore.

“We don’t go out looking to make tentative laws, and we don’t want to be a punitive city,” Foley said. “These things come up because of discourtesies among neighbors.”

The ordinance would cover existing satellite dishes, as well as those installed after the ordinance went into effect, said Steenson. Single family homes would be limited to one dish, unless they could demonstrate a need for more, Steenson said. The same would go for bars and restaurants.

Apartment buildings and other multifamily units in many cases would be allowed to have more than one, he said.

The Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on the matter at 7:30 p.m. April 13 at Calabasas City Hall. The ordinance would go into effect 30 days after its adoption.

Under the proposed ordinance, those who already have dishes would be given one year to comply. Violators could be fined $100 for the first offense, $250 for the second and $500 for the third. The city would legally have the right to remove the dish if the owner failed to comply.

Violation would be a civil offense and fines would be paid to the court, Steenson said.