St. Pete Beach advances first reading of wireless-communications ordinance amid resident concerns about towers

The St. Pete Beach City Commission on first reading advanced updates to two code chapters addressing wireless communications: Chapter 131 (large towers and monopoles) and Chapter 132 (small wireless facilities in city rights-of-way). Staff said the amendments add local criteria while avoiding areas preempted by state and federal law and that the city consulted counsel for the Children’s Health Network v. FCC litigation for technical input.

City staff warned the commission the city lacks in-house technical expertise to review complex wireless applications and intends to contract outside wireless-technology experts to review batches of applications; staff said consultant review costs could be passed through to applicants “to the extent allowable by federal and state law.” The city manager said the applications typically arrive in batches and recommended having an on-call consultant ready.

During public comment, Deborah Schechner and Kelly Lehman Frederick described past experiences with large towers sited near homes, raised concerns about property values and health, and thanked the city for placing the item on the agenda. Commissioners asked about application fees and whether fees could cover outside-review costs; staff said small‑facility reviews are less intensive and historically handled through a communications tax mechanism, while large towers may carry pass‑through fees where allowable. Commissioners also discussed state preemption (the small‑wireless preemption statute) and FDOT authority over state road rights‑of‑way such as Gulf Boulevard.

What happened: a motion to approve the first reading of the wireless ordinance passed on roll call. Staff said they will pursue on‑call consultant agreements and continue to refine administrative processes and fee structures consistent with state and federal constraints.