Newspaper Page Text
COMMUNITY
City Council blasts proposal to
deregulate cell towers
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
The bill, sponsored by Rep. Don Par
sons, R-Marietta, undermines sever
al aspects of regulations City Council
approved in December. The city’s reg
ulations were tailored to comply with
the Federal Telecommunications Act,
which allows local governments to reg
ulate the towers as long as it doesn’t pro
hibit them.
“We cannot do anything that would
prohibit someone from having access to
wireless communications,” City Attor
ney Cecil McLendon said. “What this
[bill] does is move it a couple of steps
further.”
McLendon said passage of the law
would mean the city couldn’t require
telecommunications companies to cam
ouflage their antennas or prove that no
alternative sites exist. He said it would
also restrict the city’s ability to regulate
the size of towers.
McLendon said the law would also
prohibit the city from asking applicants
to show a need for a new tower.
Council members scolded the Legis
lature and alluded to Parsons’ profession
and campaign contributors.
According to the nonpartisan website
Votesmart.org, Parsons works as a tele
communications consultant. The com
munications industry is one of his larg
est contributors, having donated more
than $12,000 to his political campaigns,
according to the website. Parsons also
chairs the House Energy, Utilities and
Telecommunications Committee.
As of Feb. 20, Parsons had not replied
to an email message seeking comment.
“It’s a shame that this is coming up,”
Councilwoman Dianne Fries said.
“I think it’s a huge overreach and be
ing done for unknown reasons,” Coun
cilman Gabriel Sterling said.
In other business, the council ap
proved condemning two pieces of prop
erty on Roswell Road to expand right of
way for the city’s streetscape project, in
cluding one owned by a local strip club.
The parcels are the last two of 26 the
city needs for the streetscape project.
The city has successfully negotiated for
the other 24 parcels, McLendon said.
The parcel, located at 6420 Roswell
Road, is owned by Charles Gary Evans
and is the address for Flashers, a strip
club the city sued in 2011 for alleged vi
olations of city code. The other proper-
“I think it’s a
huge overreach
and being done
for unknown
reasons.”
- GABRIEL STERLING
COUNCILMAN
ty is a gas station at 6360 Roswell Road,
and is owned by a company in Macon.
The condemnation will give the city
additional right of way as it begins con
struction of sidewalks from Johnson
Ferry to Abernathy Road.
The city has offered to pay at least
$30,200 for the parcel located at 6420
Roswell Road and $71,850 for the par
cel at 6360 Roswell. According to the
city’s website, the streetscape will in
clude, “installation of sidewalks on both
sides of the road and where this section
is non-existent. In addition, pedestrian-
scale lighting, crosswalks, street trees,
bus shelters and associated landscaping
will be installed.”
McLendon said the city will proba
bly have to go through the courts to ob-
ol way.
Mayor Eva Galambos said the city is
doing the strip club owners a favor.
“Here we are. Were going to be
spending a lot of money. We’re spend
ing money to improve the private prop
erty owner’s outlook on Roswell Road,
and they’re making us pay through the
nose and go through eminent domain,”
Galambos said.
Sandy Springs
Government Calendar
The Sandy Springs City Council usually meets the first and the third
Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. at City Hall, which is located at
7840 Roswell Road, Building 500
For the most up to date meeting schedule, visit
http://www.sandyspringsga.org/Calendars/City-Calendar
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