Many individuals in the La Jolla community are worried that towering cellphone antennas are going to invade their neighborhoods. To fight back, community leaders are lobbying officials in San Diego to fight the new Spectrum Act, a federal law that can trump local land-use rules, such as height limits. According to city officials, these regulations are mandated federally and in effect already, so the city is trying to update the local cell tower ordinance, coming up with a new approach.
Will a Federal Lawsuit Succeed in San Diego?
According to the San Diego Union Tribune, community leaders believe that the city needs to slow down, since a federal lawsuit that challenges these looser regulations may succeed. According to David Haney, a resident of La Jolla, certain city officials are saying that their hands are tied, but other cities have found ways to put some obstacles in the way of the Spectrum Act.
Recently, Development Services Department spokeswomen would not discuss current ongoing litigation. She would only say that the city must loosen local policies and are taking measures to make sure this happens. A public meeting has been scheduled in Mission Valley to discuss some of the possible environmental effects that could occur if the cell tower ordinance of the city is revised.
A group of leaders in the neighborhood, the La Jolla Community Planning Association, decided to send a letter to the mayor, asking him to change the course of the city. This letter particularly focuses on the 30-foot height limit within the city’s coastal areas, which are designed to help preserve ocean views. City officials note that the Spectrum Act requires them to allow the installation of cell towers that violate these height limits, as well as other land-use rules.
Although the Spectrum Act took effect in April, now new cell towers have currently been approved under these new regulations.
Individuals interested in the Spectrum Act and how they can fight it may want to learn more about Palm Springs government law. Consider learning more about local rights by talking to a Palm Springs municipal lawyer today.