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San Clemente council adopts standardized wireless-lease rates; carriers asked for more review
Summary
The council adopted Resolution 26‑28 to standardize lease rates and a lease template for wireless facilities on city property. Staff said the three-tier framework aligns rates with regional peers; T‑Mobile requested more time to review draft language before implementation.
The San Clemente City Council voted 5–0 on Feb. 17 to adopt Resolution 26‑28, a staff-proposed update to lease rates, methodology and a standardized lease template for wireless telecommunications facilities on city-owned property.
Staff explained the proposal was modeled on the California Department of General Services’ three-tier approach (small/medium/large) to simplify leasing and align rent with market rates. "The purpose of this item is to improve clarity and align our lease rates to be in line with market rates," the staff presenter said during the hearing.
Representatives of carriers raised concerns. Mindy Hartstein of T‑Mobile said she appreciated the city moving forward but asked for more time to review the draft: "I'd like the opportunity to have more time to actually review what's been proposed, because tonight is the first time I'm actually seeing the draft itself," and asked that the council postpone or delay a final decision while carriers examine the language.
Nut graf: Council members heard industry concerns but concluded the proposal met the city’s goals for simplified administration and market alignment and approved the resolution. The motion to adopt Resolution 26‑28 was made by Council member Wu, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Noeblock, and passed 5–0.
Implementation: The resolution also authorizes the city manager to execute the standardized leases and directs staff to repeal conflicting prior actions. Staff told council the rates shown were generally below the state DGS formula but similar to neighboring cities’ rates; peer-city comparables were discussed during Q&A.
Ending: T‑Mobile and other carriers may seek clarification of template language and rates with staff after the adoption; council and staff acknowledged room to revisit specific numeric rates if market feedback warrants it.
