AVALON – In an upcoming meeting with Sen. Michael Testa (R-1st), Avalon officials will be asking for his support to defeat pending legislation that would reduce the ability of local governments to regulate the deployment of small wireless facilities in the public right-of-way.
The proposed legislation would provide cellular companies with greater freedom to place equipment and new poles to facilitate the distribution of remote cells and distributed antenna systems. Local authorities would no longer be able to regulate the placement of such equipment in ways inconsistent with the state legislation.
The borough seeks to maintain its authority to enforce standards for the distribution of such equipment. Across the nation, numerous local communities have opposed widespread distribution of cellular nodes based on aesthetic and health concerns.
While the cellular companies have dismissed the health concerns as groundless, those opposed to the equipment near their homes have argued that the national health agencies have yet to conduct formal studies.
The aesthetics of cell placement has been a hot issue in many communities.
In a number of states, preemptive legislation has greatly reduced local control over the equipment placement.
