The Sundance (WY) City Council reviewed a proposed set of ordinances allowing use of the public rights-of-ways by cellular carriers at their meeting Wednesday night, according to the Sundance Times.
City Attorney Mark Hughes presented his interpretation of the new rules and regulations put out by the FCC and drafted on behalf of the Wyoming Association of Municipalities. Hughes said the ordinances are “fairly complicated” and respond to the new regulations, which would allow developers to sidestep the need to purchase land or make an agreement and simply place their towers and other small pieces of equipment in public rights-of way, the Times reported.
“The concern is that, the way it’s presented to the legislature, it gives them the right to say, ‘we’re going to mount an antenna on your water tower and you have no say in the matter,’” said Mayor Paul Brooks. “What they’re trying to do is lower their costs.”
“You have the right to charge them a fee and before you could charge them whatever you wanted. Now, you’re limited on what you can charge them,” said Hughes. “It gives small communications facilities the right to do a lot more than you anticipate.”
The council said they will study their options and discuss it further at next month’s regular meeting. The regulations come into effect in mid-January, Hughes told the Times.
January 11, 2019
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