RCRC, the California State Association of Counties, Urban Counties of California, the League of California Cities, and the California Chapter of the American Planning Association have joined forces in opposition to Senate Bill 649 authored by Senator Ben Hueso (D-San Diego) related to “small cell” siting. SB 649 would strip public input, limit full discretionary review, and remove the ability for counties to negotiate leases for the installation of “small cell” technology on public property.
Through SB 649, counties will be required to allow these not-so-small structures on public property in any city or county zone. Furthermore, SB 649 will prohibit cities and counties from charging market rate for lease of public property, and instead, caps the rental rates at an arbitrarily low amount. SB 649 does not require installation of 5G technology, nor require the wireless industry to build their networks in these communities, and expressly prohibits a county from negotiating increased broadband services as a condition of a “small cell” permit. SB 649 does not create jobs, but instead erodes local input on community aesthetics and devalues taxpayer- invested public property.
SB 649 passed out of the Senate on May 31, 2017 on a 32-1 vote, and now awaits referral to policy committee in the Assembly. RCRC has urged individual member county opposition to this legislation.