High-Tech Antennas Face Restrictions

Concerned that recent federal reforms of the communication industry may bring a deluge of tall, unsightly antennas to the city, the City Council this week passed an emergency ordinance designed to regulate antennas.

“We’re seeing much more activity by companies wanting to put up antennas for faxes, cellular phones, pagers, the whole spectrum of electronic traffic,” City Manager William A. Huston said. “Our regulations weren’t good enough to deal with this surge of activity.”

The Telecommunications Reform Act was signed into law Feb. 8 by President Clinton. The sweeping overhaul removed monopoly protections so that telephone companies, cable companies and others in the communications industry now can complete in each other’s markets.

The act has resulted in more requests for antennas in Tustin, and officials said they expect the number to continue growing.

“We’ve been getting a lot of requests for antennas near residential areas,” Huston said. “And that causes some concern when we’re talking about 60-foot towers.”

Eight wireless communication facilities exist in Tustin, one is under construction, and requests for several more have been filed in the last few weeks, according to a city report.

The ordinance, approved by a unanimous vote Monday, will give the city about a month to draft more complete regulations. It bans all wireless communication facilities from residential neighborhoods. Major antennas, including free-standing towers, must be at least 300 feet from residential areas and must be at least 100 feet apart.

The installation of antennas also will require a conditional-use permit and review by the city’s Planning Commission.