Petition to Reform Cell Tower Regulation in Montgomery County

County Council and County Executive

In October 2022, the Montgomery County Council passed new zoning that allows cell towers 30 feet from houses and apartments and removes residents previous rights to notice and hearings -- eliminating the community from the decision making process.

CLICK "ADD YOUR NAME" to sign our petition!

Dear County Council and the County Executive,

We urge you to:

1. Take action to immediately repeal ZTA 19-07 and ZTA 22-01, which allow cell towers 30 feet from homes.

2. Reform wireless zoning and regulation in Montgomery County, with input from residents.



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Background

The 2022 Montgomery County County Council approved zoning changes that:

  • Reduced the antenna setback to 30 feet from homes and schools
  • Allowed cell tower antennas on street lights, utility poles, and new poles in residential neighborhoods

These cell towers will now be installed with:

  • No notice to nearby residents
  • No public hearings
  • No height limit for cell towers atop utility poles
  • No limit on the number of antennas or equipment boxes attached to a street pole

The 2022 Council adopted two zoning text amendments, ZTA 22-01 Antennas on Existing Structures (Oct 25, 2022) and ZTA 19-07 (Jul 27, 2021), despite widespread opposition from residents, environmental groups, and candidates in the primary election. 100% of the residents who signed up to testify or submitted written testimony opposed the latest zoning change.

For more information see:

A new Council was sworn into office in December 2022. CLICK “Add Your Name” on the right-hand side of this page sign our petition, as we work with the new Council to create sensible wireless regulation in Montgomery County.

Notes:

Towers can be installed between less than 30 feet (as close as zero feet!) from homes after a hearing process.

Q: Does this affect me If I live in a condo or apartment?

A: Yes! A number of residents have asked this recently. The setback depends on whether your building is in a residential or commercial zone. Much of the County's multifamily housing (e.g., condo or apartment) is in residential zones, where the setback is the same as for single-family homes (30 feet, or less after a hearing). In commercial or mixed use zones, the setback was previously reduced to only 10 feet under ZTA 18-02. If you’re not sure what zone your building is in, you can look it up here. See a recent New York Times article describing towers only 10 feet from apartments in NYC.




To: County Council and County Executive
From: [Your Name]

Dear Incoming County Council and the County Executive,

We urge you to:

1. Take action to repeal ZTA 19-07 and ZTA 22-01, which allow cell towers 30 feet from homes.

2. Reform wireless zoning and regulation in Montgomery County, with input from residents.