When the Greenbelt City, (MD) Council met on March 11, deploying small cells throughout the city was a hot topic. Lawfirm Best Best and Krieger (BBK), which has worked with the city for over 30 years, was brought in to draft a small cell ordinance. The council also partnered with CTC Technology and Energy to provide a “turnkey operation,” reviewing small cell applications and providing recommendations to the city, reported Greenbelt News Review.
Attempting to retain some local control after the passing of the FCC’s regulatory framework, Greenbelt City Communications Coordinator Beverly Palau commented on the state of the city’s small cell ordinance. She said, “The ordinance is in good shape, but we might make some small changes to get an ordinance that protects Greenbelt.”
According to the News Review, the current ordinance outlines procedures and rules for small cell deployment and application review. Other points covered include public safety, minimization of the visual impact, and right-of-way considerations. The council and BBK attorney Joe Van Eaton discussed adding a city design manual that would stipulate in detail “things like height, placement, and general aesthetics.” Van Eaton advised that with a separate manual, the council would not have “to convene public meetings to make changes.”
Van Eaton cautioned that the city’s choices regarding small cells could not violate the new FCC requirements. CTC representative Shawn Thompson, principal engineer, noted that a manual could be completed within three months.
Palau expects to include the review of the CTC manual on the next agenda for council approval. She added that “We will have CTC review all our documents and suggest any changes we might need.”
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