Board sends proposed changes to street-mounted telecom rules back to committee after debate over mural fees and box sizing

The Board of Supervisors on July 18 deferred action on an ordinance that would revise the city's rules for surface-mounted facilities (SMFs) — the cabinets and street furniture used to host telecommunications equipment — after an extended debate over the size of cabinets and the calculation of an in-lieu muralization fee.

Why it matters: Telecommunications companies have sought streamlined permitting to expand small-cell and other wireless infrastructure in public rights-of-way. Opponents have raised concerns about aesthetics, sidewalks and local control. The proposed ordinance would update encroachment, landscaping and mural requirements and create an in-lieu fee intended to fund public-art and beautification projects in the affected supervisor district.

Key points from the floor: Sponsor Supervisor Jane Kim (recorded as Supervisor Cohen in the transcript) described five changes in the draft: tree-installation rules, landscaping requirements, creation of an in-lieu mural fee, allowance for modest changes to existing SMFs, and cleanup language to resolve a conflict with CPUC rules about siting on private property. Much of the floor discussion focused on how DPW calculated the in-lieu amount and what box size the fee assumed. Public Works' Jerry Sanguinetti acknowledged a committee briefing error: an earlier calculation had used an outdated, larger box size and overstated the fee; when corrected to the smaller actual cabinet size the in-lieu figure became $2,077 per box (DPW explained $40 per square foot for artist fees plus administration and maintenance costs in the breakdown).

Arts Commission and fee debate: The Arts Commission's director, Susan Pontius, told the board her $3,500 estimate was a wrap-based calculation that did not include management and insurance costs; DPW included those items in its estimate. Several supervisors said they preferred pooling fees into a district beautification fund so funds could support larger murals or public-art projects rather than many small wraps on cabinets.

Outcome: After floor debate and an attempt to clarify the record, Supervisor Cohen duplicated the file and moved an amended version of the ordinance back to the Neighborhood Services Committee to give DPW, Arts and supervisors time to refine the fee and box-sizing calculations. Colleagues approved referring the duplicated file to committee without objection.

Ending: The board deferred final action to allow additional committee consideration of fee methodology and potential per-square-foot approaches to ensure fees reasonably reflect actual costs and community priorities.