Moratorium OKd on Cellular Towers

Following the lead of Simi Valley, the Thousand Oaks City Council has approved a 45-day moratorium on new cellular phone antennas while city officials put together a uniform set of planning guidelines to handle the growing business.

Since January, Southern California cities have been flooded with applications for new antennas because of a 1995 Federal Communications Commission decision that allowed telecommunications giants such as Pacific Bell to market a new digital technology called personal communication services. Cellular phone antennas are often 40 to 60 feet tall.

Last month, the Simi Valley City Council adopted a set of rules governing the installation of cellular phone antennas. The rules came after antennas placed in several locations around the city spurred protests before the city’s Planning Commission.

City Atty. Mark Sellers asked for the moratorium because he believes that Thousand Oaks is ill-prepared to deal with the onslaught of applicants. The city had received four applications for new wireless facilities and had been contacted by other providers who had interest in placing at least five new wireless service centers in Thousand Oaks, according to a city report.

“What we have now are standards that are perhaps not suited to the new market conditions,” Sellers said.

Councilwoman Judy Lazar, who had asked city officials to examine the issue, wants to ensure that Thousand Oaks has a set of rules that will be fair to businesses while making sure that the city’s beauty is not tarnished by the towers.

She said her views were strengthened this week after reading a newspaper article that a resident had faxed her about Mission Viejo, where telecommunications companies were erecting giant fake trees and other contraptions to hide antennas.

“I don’t think we want to see that in Thousand Oaks,” Lazar said.