The Georgia Senate gave final passage Tuesday to a measure ensuring local officials act promptly when reviewing plans for proposed cell towers.

House Bill 176 represents a compromise between telecoms and city and county governments, which blocked the bill last year.

HB 176 would limit cities and counties to charging no more than $500 for review of an application for a new cell tower and limit rental and lease fees.

It also would create a 150-day “shot clock” for a local government to review an application. If no action is taken during that period, the application would be considered automatically approved.

The bill, which passed on a 48-1 vote, now goes to Gov. Nathan Deal for his signature.

About the Author

Keep Reading

Chris Carr, Brad Raffensperger and Burt Jones. (AJC File)

Credit: AJC

Featured

A MARTA operator is seen inside the control room of one of the new MARTA trains during the unveiling of these trains on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025. (Miguel Martinez/AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez