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Piedmont council conducts first reading of wireless facilities ordinance, adds design chapter and streamlined review
Summary
Council conducted the first reading of ordinance 778 to update zoning and design standards for wireless communication facilities, add a new Chapter 8 design checklist emphasizing stealth design, set a 10-year permit term, and add a ministerial streamlined path for applications that meet objective standards; council approved the motion to proceed with corrections and found the ordinance CEQA-exempt.
Planning staff presented proposed amendments to Piedmont's zoning code and design standards to regulate wireless communication facilities and to tighten aesthetic controls while complying with state and federal limitations. The staff presentation emphasized a design-first approach — including "stealth" installations and a streamlined ministerial review for applications that meet objective standards — and noted that the ordinance includes a 10-year permit term and batch-processing provisions consistent with "assembly bill 965." "The ordinance establishes a 10 year permit term providing a clear framework for the operation and ongoing of the facilities," a planner said during the presentation.
Council members asked about public notice, whether monthly planning reports would include addresses (staff said reports would include counts only), and whether ministerial applicants would face lower fees (staff said fees are set to reflect staff time and a fee study later this year could modify amounts). After discussion and clarifying corrections to the red-line and clean ordinance drafts, a council member moved to conduct the first reading of ordinance 778 (attachment A), adopt the related design-standards resolution adding Chapter 8 (attachment B), find the ordinance CEQA-exempt and incorporate four staff corrections. The motion passed on a voice vote.
Staff timeline: if the council approves a second reading, staff noted a possible second reading date of Feb. 18 and the code amendments would take effect 30 days after adoption; the design-guideline resolution would be effective immediately if adopted.
