Council Agrees to Ease Satellite Dish Rules

Satellite antennas for home TV sets may soon face fewer restrictions.

The City Council on Tuesday gave preliminary approval to an ordinance that would make it easier for homeowners to have so-called dish antennas.

City Manager Fred Maley said that new regulations by the Federal Communications Commission mean that cities must lift certain earlier restrictions on dish antennas.

“The technology has changed, and now there are smaller dish antennas,” Maley said. “The FCC regulations limit the amount of control on placement of these antennas.”

The ordinance, which defines a small dish antenna as being no bigger than one meter in diameter, states that the goal is to prevent “an unreasonable limitation on the reception of satellite-delivered signals.”

The measure specifically allows small-diameter dish antennas to be mounted on roofs. The ordinance says roof antennas must be placed “on the rear one-half of the building . . . or the rear one-half of the building that is farthest from the front property line.”

Small dish antennas also could be “mounted on the side of a structure.” In those cases, “the antenna must face the rear or side yard and not intrude into any setback area.”

Residents seeking to install dish antennas would have to apply for a permit from the city and present “detailed plans,” according to the ordinance, which is set for a final reading at the council’s June 25 meeting. It would become law 30 days later.