NLV developing cell tower rules

Mathis Winkler

Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2001 | 9:01 a.m.

North Las Vegas city officials want cell phone companies to keep their towers out of residential areas and hope that a proposed law will do the trick.

The new ordinance would make it easier for cell phone companies to get approval for towers in commercial or industrial areas, on city-owned property or public utility substations. Towers in residential areas would still be possible, but companies would have to seek a special use permit from the city's Planning Commission.

Deputy City Attorney Jim Lewis, who recently presented a first draft of the ordinance to planning commissioners, said cell phone companies encouraged such an arrangement as well.

"It takes uncertainty out of the approval," Lewis said, adding that the ordinance would give companies guidelines.

Since a 1996 federal law states that local government agencies cannot prohibit telecommunications companies from setting up service, city officials see the law as a way to have some control over the placement of new towers.

Clark County officials, who adopted a similar law in February 1998, said they have been successful in getting cell phone companies to build new towers outside residential areas.

Since the law has been in place, requests from cell phone companies for towers in residential areas have dropped from more than 30 to less than a handful each year, said Chuck Pulsipher, the county's zoning administrator.

"Basically, we're trying as much as possible to keep the large towers from being located in residential areas," he said.

Cell phone company representatives said the system worked well for them.

"If rules are established where we know we get approval, everybody plays by the rules," said Chris Wener, a principal at Spectrum Surveying and Engineering, who represents several major cell phone companies.

Wener added that Henderson requires Planning Commission approval for all cell phone towers, a system that's "less desirable" for companies.

Henderson planner Michael Tassi said the current procedure gives residents a chance to comment on proposed towers at public hearings.

North Las Vegas' ordinance is still at an early stage. But apart from laying out the city's preferred areas for cell phone towers, other proposed requirements for easy approval are already outlined as well.

Towers could not be taller than 100 feet and would have to be built at least 200 feet away from the nearest home. A minimum distance of 750 feet between towers would also be required.