Desert Town Installs “Shot Clock" To Speed Tower Decision Process

The Barstow, CA City Council unanimously approved the first reading of a proposed ordinance that will specify requirements for approving future cell tower proposals, including a so-called shot clock. The ordinance supposedly addresses new California legislation and FCC rules. Barstow, whose main street is part of the original US Route 66, is a transportation hub in the Mojave Desert for railroads and highways, and is expecting future population and tower growth.
According to the Desert Dispatch, the shot clock is the “time from submittal of project to the time the city or county has to approve or deny the project.” When a project for a new tower is submitted, the clock is set at 150 days.If a new antenna is proposed for an existing tower site, the clock is set at 90 days. The ordinance would also provide a list of installation standards city officials would be able to check through, to quickly approve or reject any tower proposals.
Councilwoman Carmen Hernandez is pleased with the suggested standards. She believes the list will rid the Council of unnecessary back and forth discussions. She said, “I like that we have speeded the process for development with these checklists.”