Commission affirms permit for Crown Castle small‑cell at 721 Edgewood after contested hearing

San Mateo’s Sustainability and Infrastructure Commission on March 20 denied an appeal and upheld the Public Works director’s approval of a small‑cell wireless permit at 721 Edgewood, with a 4‑0 vote after the vice chair recused herself for a financial conflict.

Staff again told commissioners the application complied with the city’s 2021 wireless design standards, that GO95 clearance and PG&E constraints left the proposed pole as the only technically feasible existing support structure for the provider’s stated objectives, and that the project is categorically exempt from CEQA. The commission voted to deny the appeal and directed staff to draft a statement of decision.

In staff’s presentation Jason Hilari and engineering manager JU described the same analytical framework used earlier in the meeting: review of technical objectives, a 200‑foot modeling radius used to identify feasible candidate poles, and GO95 and PG&E criteria to rule out poles within that radius when electrical or communicationsclearances or equipment would…