Numerous homeowners in the Kipling Village section of Jefferson County, CO, have lodged complaints about intrusive small cell utility boxes installed by BAM Broadband (formerly DirectLink). Neighbors pointed out the units to KMGH-TV, adding that they appeared in roughly every other yard along the fiber cable route.
The equipment is buried in the host lawns under lids that resemble large rectangular manhole covers. Although BAM was authorized by the county to operate within the allowable Right-of-Way (ROW), residents argue that the broadband company and subcontractor Splash Fiber overstepped their boundaries. The permit grants the installers access “for work in Jeffco Right-of-Way only.” This prompted the outcry from affected neighbors like Michael Clarkson, who referred to the presence of the utility boxes as “very violating,” according to KMGH-TV.
Information posted on the Jefferson County website states: “The Colorado General Assembly has deemed the regulation of broadband a matter of statewide concern and limited the ability of local governments to regulate the location of broadband in the local rights-of-way. Under this legislation, broadband providers are provided the authority to locate in public Rights-of-Way.”
However, without a clear definition of what constitutes a ROW, the county and the homeowners are at an impasse. “We can’t get our county, who’s usually really responsive, to act on this,” stated Clarkson, who has aggressively pursued this issue.
Clarkson’s squeaky wheel approach did prompt the removal of the utility box from his yard. However, KMGH-TV reports that the fiber broadband equipment remains in place in the neighboring lawns.
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