Draft regulations under consideration in Anchorage "would prohibit building large cellphone towers next to homes in dense urban settings."
"The draft regulations encourage 'small-cell' technologies, or low-powered wireless base stations that can be mounted to light poles and typically help boost coverage in high-use areas like stadiums or malls."
"Other proposed changes include reducing the separation distance required between a cellphone tower and the nearest home. Current city law requires a separation distance equal to 200 percent of the height of the tower, but phone companies can get around that through loopholes. The new regulations are designed to close that loophole, officials said, through new guidelines for minimum separation distances. They would also set a maximum height of 65 feet for a tower in a residential district."
"Since they were released in mid-November, the draft regulations have gotten mixed reviews. Community activists said they’d like to see clearer definitions for certain types of towers and more ways for neighbors to weigh in on projects near their homes."
FULL STORY: Anchorage weighs new rules on cell towers in neighborhoods
Anchorage Releases Draft Land Use Regs for Marijuana
Commercial marijuana operations to be restricted to industrial areas.
Anchorage Leaders Debate Zoning Reform Plan
Last year, the city produced the fewest new housing units in a decade.
Opinion: The Arrogance of Social Media Urbanists
Criticism of ‘bad’ urban design and development policies leveled at ‘planners’ often obscures the complex nature of urban politics and land use regulations.
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
World's Largest Wildlife Overpass In the Works in Los Angeles County
Caltrans will soon close half of the 101 Freeway in order to continue construction of the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing near Agoura Hills in Los Angeles County.
U.S. Supreme Court: California's Impact Fees May Violate Takings Clause
A California property owner took El Dorado County to state court after paying a traffic impact fee he felt was exorbitant. He lost in trial court, appellate court, and the California Supreme Court denied review. Then the U.S. Supreme Court acted.
California Grid Runs on 100% Renewable Energy for Over 9 Hours
The state’s energy grid was entirely powered by clean energy for some portion of the day on 37 out of the last 45 days.
New Forecasting Tool Aims to Reduce Heat-Related Deaths
Two federal agencies launched a new, easy-to-use, color-coded heat warning system that combines meteorological and medical risk factors.
AI Traffic Management Comes to Dallas-Fort Worth
Several Texas cities are using an AI-powered platform called NoTraffic to help manage traffic signals to increase safety and improve traffic flow.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Tufts University, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy & Planning
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
