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Wireless Tower Solutions pitches county ordinance to regulate cell towers
Summary
Dean Williamson of Wireless Tower Solutions told the Roosevelt County Commission the firm can provide a model ordinance, online permitting, inspections and fee collection at no upfront cost to the county, and described fixed pricing and revenue examples for colocation and new towers.
Dean Williamson, representing Wireless Tower Solutions of Albuquerque, presented a proposed county ordinance and an online permitting and inspection service to the Roosevelt County Commission and said the vendor would provide ordinance language, application processing and site inspections at no direct cost to the county.
Williamson told commissioners the company offers a model ordinance and an online application platform that would let the county control tower siting, camouflage requirements and permit conditions. "We come in with the ordinance and say, okay. Here's the rules that you have to abide by," he said, adding the firm performs inspections and collects fees as agent for the county.
The vendor cited typical fee and revenue figures: he said the average colocation fee across counties is about $3,000, and described his company’s fixed-price approach — offering $5,000 for a colocation and $7,000 for a new tower in the contract in the packet. He also noted county revenue opportunities if carriers first consider county-owned properties for sites: "If you wanna build a new tower in Roosevelt County, you're gonna look at county properties... and that's another way for the county to optimize your income," Williamson said.
Commissioners asked about health effects and siting. In response to concerns about radiofrequency exposure and 5G equipment, Williamson said jurisdictions must verify that antenna operations comply with Federal Communications Commission limits and that local ordinances can influence siting and camouflage but generally cannot prohibit deployments that meet FCC rules: "As long as it complies with what the FCC says is acceptable, you can't do anything," he said. He added local rules can still move or screen equipment to reduce neighborhood impacts.
Williamson emphasized safety and maintenance: he said many towers lack current maintenance records and noted inspection cycles (three to five years depending on tower type). He also told the commission the firm can build and maintain a county tower database and perform inspections and reports on completion.
The presentation concluded with Williamson standing for questions; the commission thanked him and moved to the next agenda item.
The vendor’s materials and the commission packet include example ordinances and sample resolutions for other New Mexico counties.
