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La Palma council approves lease for 65-foot monopine cell site at city yard
Summary
The City Council on March 4 approved entitlements and a lease for a 65-foot 'monopine' wireless facility at 8415 Meadowlark Lane to close a documented coverage gap for AT&T. The resolution passed 5–0; the draft lease calls for $42,000 in year one and a 2% annual escalator.
La Palma — The City Council voted unanimously March 4 to approve land-use entitlements and a lease allowing construction of a freestanding wireless communications facility at the City public works maintenance yard, 8415 Meadowlark Lane, to address an AT&T service gap east of Coyote Creek.
Community Development Manager Belinda Dynas told the council the project requires a conditional use permit, precise plan and variance and summarized changes made after prior public input. "Before you for your review and consideration is a resolution to allow construction of a freestanding wireless communications facility located at the City of La Palma Public Works maintenance yard and a resolution to enter into a lease agreement between the City of La Palma and New Singular Wireless LLC," Dynas said.
John Silverman, representing SmartLink on behalf of AT&T, said the design was revised to reduce height by 10 feet to a 65-foot monopine with the antenna array top at 55 feet. He said engineering propagation maps show the site is centrally located to close a "significant gap in coverage" and that lower heights would "block the vast majority of the signal," producing a large loss in served residents.
The draft lease described in staff materials calls for a first-year rent payment of $42,000, paid by monthly installments, followed by annual increases of 2% and an initial five-year term with multiple five-year renewal options totaling up to 30 years. Silverman estimated on-site construction would take roughly six to eight weeks, with the most intensive work in the first two to three weeks.
The City Attorney cautioned the council that federal law limits local discretion in siting wireless facilities. "If the least intrusive means of addressing that gap...then if we deny it, we are potentially violating federal law," the attorney said, noting a denial could be subject to federal judicial review and associated fees.
Councilmembers said they weighed aesthetic and neighborhood concerns against legal exposure and AT&T’s technical evidence. A motion to adopt the resolutions approving the CUP, precise plan and variance and authorizing the city manager to execute the lease passed 5–0 (Council member Baker — Aye; Council member Keo/Kio Conklin — Aye; Council member V. Patel — Aye; Mayor Pro Tem N. Patel — Yes; Mayor Waldman — Aye).
The council’s action authorizes final execution of the lease and the land‑use entitlements; staff will return with finalized documents for signature and implementation steps.
