banner
banner
banner
banner
banner
banner
banner
banner
banner
banner
banner

Local News

Attorney explains Distributed Antenna Systems to Hastings City Council

Hastings City Council members learned a lot about Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS) at a workshop Aug. 22, and they learned they will have to make a lot of decisions in the future.

The antennas, with different styles, are mounted on new or existing utility poles, street lights and traffic lights in public rights of way to bring more service to nearby areas.

 

DAS is new way of boosting cellular coverage and capacity and cheaper than the macro towers used by giant telecommunications companies like AT&T and Verizon.

 

Jeff Sluggett, an attorney who specializes in planning, zoning and land use issues,  explained the situation. A packet developed by attorneys with guidance from the Metro Council and paid for by a consortium of cities, including Hastings, has a cover letter, a sample license/franchise, a Metro Act permit and zoning checklist to give companies applying to use its rights-of-ways.

 

Since every municipality is different, each must decide how to best fit their city’s needs, Sluggett said. “The Michigan law is crystal clear; Hastings has control of its rights of way… so the city can deny applicants access to its rights of way; they don’t have to allow them at all,” he said.

However, it is a valuable service for its residents and the demand is greatly expanding with the increasing growth of use of mobile data.

 

Pole heights, a new ordinance, zoning issues, liability, application, license and monthly fees, co-locations, site plan reviews, performance bonds, safety issues, site design and much more will have to be decided by individual cities. //

 

With the Metro template and local decisions made, the companies will know what is expected from them, Sluggett said. Companies prefer to deal with city officials rather than private parties; there are fewer negotiations and its cheaper, he added.

The meetings with applicants may become contentious because, “they think they have every right to be there...there is no downside to define what is regulated, clearly, no one has the right to be in a right of way without a license,” he said

 

He advised the council not to move too quickly; there are more work group meetings scheduled.

 

“At some point there will be a lawsuit filed…they have nothing to lose if you say no.” He emphasized that Hastings was not alone, there are 20 other cities in the same situation. But, he predicted “if all the cities say no, Lansing will act to take it out of local control.”

 

Mansfield said city officials agree they need and want telecommunications, with proper rules and regulations. The council and city staff, as of now, will discuss an ordinance to deal with the matter, fees and administrative costs, approving the Metro packet if they get a applicant, co-location and the status of existing DAS poles in the city.

With more and more applications to use the rights-of-ways sure to come, the city needs a consistent response for applicants, Sluggett said

 

 

Listen Live

DOWNLOAD OUR MOBILE APP

FOR YOUR PHONE OR TABLET!

     

Weather

On Air Now

Best Country Hits
Best Country Hits
12:00am - 6:00am
Overnights