Committee to review wireless-communications rules after Verizon outreach yields no immediate fix

A resident complaint that Verizon service in parts of Narberth prevented use of ParkMobile for meter payments prompted an update and an ordinance review at the Oct. 28 Infrastructure Committee meeting.

Speaker 1 recounted the resident’s problem paying parking via ParkMobile. Speaker 4 said staff and a borough contact met with Verizon and that the carrier did not offer an installation option on the subject building; staff will follow up to "reignite those conversations," Speaker 4 said. "I will reach out to them again and see if we can kind of reignite those conversations and see what sort of projects we can partner with on them," they added.

Committee discussion turned to the borough’s wireless communications facilities (WCF) provisions. Speaker 4 identified WCF regulation in the zoning code as Article 13, §500-13 and said it was adopted in 2018. Multiple speakers noted that recent state legislation preempted certain local zoning controls over wireless facilities, limiting municipal options. Speaker 6 suggested the borough’s code may still contain implementable provisions for non-tower installations in the right-of-way and recommended a code review as the borough proceeds with broader zoning recodification.

Members asked staff to summarize options and provide a link to the ordinance language so the committee can evaluate what remains enforceable. Staff also said they would ask Verizon about alternative placement options (other than rooftop) and whether carriers would consider hosting equipment on borough property for revenue.