Hard Planning, or Hardly Planning?

I'm curious -- are any planners out there learning more about wireless communications infrastructure, beyond how to regulate the physical aspects of it's deployment?

Do public planners care about this infrastructure -- what its presence offers to our communities and how local governments can use it to leverage better services, operations and economic development?

Does a lop-sided or overbearing approach to regulating this infrastructure short change the community's future opportunities to benefit? What about emerging enhancements in education, health care and telecommuting -- if there's an up side to the infrastructure being available, should local land use controls recognize that?

Are public safety agencies reaching out to private wireless communications infrastructure providers to leverage local agency resources and enhance communications, response and mitigation? Is this a part of thier interoperability planning, or disaster preparedness, response and mitigation planning?

Is anyone in the planning profession sorting through how this infrastructure is impacting our communities, and what the potential benefits might be? If so -- is this changing the way planners believe the infrastructure should be regulated and how local land use controls should manage the use?

Just curious if this was emerging as an infrastructure worthy of more thought yet. How does your department/community view it -- and is anyone breaking new ground?

RES