Bradenton Beach commissioners adopted a telecommunications ordinance May 5 setting restrictions for new facilities — towers, antennas and other equipment.
The ordinance allows only for a cell tower on government property, and that could only happen after an applicant met a long list of criteria.
The unanimous vote after the final reading of the ordinance marked the end of a two-year review and opened the door for applicants.
A representative for one company, James Eatrides of Alpha-Omega Communications, attended the meeting, and was the only citizen to address commissioners.
He reminded them that his company submitted a proposal two years ago to build a stealth tower near the public works and police departments between Highland and Church.
And, with praise for the commission’s work on the new ordinance, Eatrides said a new application would be submitted.
“I’m comfortable with this,” he said of the new ordinance. “You give us a framework to work with.”
However, Eatrides learned last week that he will have to revise the proposed construction of a tower at the public works/police compound. The city is building a parking lot where the stealth tower was proposed, said public works director Tom Woodard.
Some adjustments were made to the ordinance before its adoption.
City attorney Ricinda Perry described two as housekeeping matters — the renumbering of sections and changing “city council” to “city commission” in one location.
Two others were proposed by Commissioner Gay Breuler and unanimously approved.
The commission replaced “municipal” with “government” to avoid prohibiting a proposal for a telecommunications facility on county property.
The commission also reworded a paragraph that troubled Breuler because it provided for cordoning off a section of a structure “not in compliance with the FCC’s regulations regarding RF emissions/radiation.”
“Maybe we want to say if you can’t meet FCC standards … you can’t do it period,” Breuler said. “I don’t think I want my city having more (radiation) than the FCC thinks is appropriate.”
New wording, suggested by Perry, stressed that any installation shall comply with FCC regulations and not endanger public health and welfare.
In other business, commissioners:
• Approved paying an $8,601 invoice from M.T. Causley for building department services.
• Approved a special event request for a July 3 fireworks display at the BeachHouse Restaurant, 200 Gulf Drive N. The fireworks will be shot from a barge shortly after sunset.
• Waived the city’s open-container ordinance for a city-sponsored Katie Pierola Sunset Picnic, held each Wednesday at the Gulf Drive park for two hours until sunset.
• Authorized the city attorney to prepare easements to place four trolley shelters along Gulf Drive, and also for stormwater improvements.
The next commission meeting will be at 1 p.m. Thursday, May 19, at city hall.