North Fulton’s newest cities, Johns Creek and Milton, have proposed new laws they hope will keep cell towers from populating more of their landscape.
In Milton, which passed the area’s most restrictive cell tower ordinance two years ago, city leaders vote Monday on a provision to encourage telecommunication companies to add on to existing towers rather than seek to build new ones.
The plan would create a fast-track permitting process for telecoms to extend current towers by 30 percent, up to about 200 feet. It would also promote “stealth technology” to help camouflage the towers.
“I’m not an expert, but as a resident of Milton, anything that minimizes the number of new cell towers is a good thing,” said Vinnie Politan, who mounted a successful drive earlier this year to stop placement of a tower near his home off Birmingham Highway.
Companies would still have to show a need for the extension. Those that want new locations would have to go through the regular process, which can sometimes take 150 days.
City Attorney Ken Jirard said the city consulted telecom representatives to get their reaction.
That’s a departure from measures the city took in the past, when legal action threatened efforts to restrict towers and charge some of the highest licensing fees in the state.
“We listened to their feedback, then tried to draft a modification that addressed those very limited issues,” Jirard said.
Meanwhile, Johns Creek is set to consider revisions in its cell tower ordinance later this month.
Among other things, the city wants to require companies to provide more information justifying requests for additional coverage.
Justin Kerouak, deputy director of community development, said the ordinance aims to protect the landscape while balancing the needs of telecom companies.
Telecom companies and trade groups did not respond to requests for comment.
But representatives from Verizon, the Georgia Wireless Association and AT&T said last month they were concerned with the Johns Creek text amendment and hope they can reach agreement on a final wording.
Newly formed north Fulton cities have been feeling their way around the issue of protecting their vistas. Milton, Johns Creek and Sandy Springs suffered a blow recently when a court ordered them to accept applications submitted by sign billboard companies before the cities incorporated.
The three cities negotiated with the companies to lower the number of billboards in exchange for better site placement.
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