5G antennas will be coming to New Jersey neighborhoods

By: Marsha A. Sotltz
NorthJersey.com
USA Today Network - New Jersey

..... Get ready, 5G is coming.
..... Throughout New Jersey, towns are updating their ordinances in anticipation of extensive antenna installations by carriers such as Verizon and AT&T to enable 5G wireless technology.
..... Heavily populated towns in eastern Bergen County such as Fort Lee, Edgewater and Belleville and Cliffside Park, Bayonne in Hudson County, and Belleville and Irvington in Essex County have already signed on, enacting ordinances and overseeing installations.
..... In Saddle River, telecommunications attorney and consultant Peter Lupo told public officials and residents that having ordinances in place lets the municipality exercise some control over where equipment goes and what it looks like.
..... "It's coming, Lupo said. "Preparation is key."
..... But what does the arrival of 5G means for residents ?

What is 5G? Is it safe?

..... Carriers are touting the fifth generation of wireless for its speed, capacity and reduced transmission time. Cellphones with 5G capabilities are heavily marketed. But residents are not always as enthusiastic, expressing concern about the proliferation of poles needed to hold its antennas and concerns about the impact of radio waves on health.
..... A widely read 2019 article in Scientific American questioned the safety of radio frequency radiations (RFR) used by 5G but regulatory agencies generally deem it safe.
..... "We cannot challenge this," Mayor Albert Kurpis told 36 frustrated residents in attendance at a meeting in Saddle River. "What local government can do is establish in the form of an ordinance a reasonable framework that governs 5G roll-outs."
..... "Edgewater has already approve several application for these installations without any issue to speak of," said Edgewater Borough Administrator Gregory Franz.
.... While Saddle River's relatively low density makes it a less pressing target than high-density towns such as Cliffside Park (24,500) residents in one square mile), Lupo predicted the borough would be approached by a carrier "in the ext year." [2022] Saddle River retained his firm, Hoplite Communications, to guide its decisions.
..... "The current 5G technology roll-out involves the intersection of land sue laws, right-of-way laws, utility laws and telecommunications law at the federal state and local levels," Lupo said. "In some instances municipal attorneys take a go at it, but it is a highly specialized field with many factors to consider."

Many, many more antennas for 5G:

..... While 5G may be faster, its antenna reach is limited to a quarter-mile maximum. This means instated of one large tower serving a town like Saddle River, 30-40 antennas or nodes must be installed at key transmission points over Saddle River;s five square miles to reach all customers from utility poles, street lights, even traffic lights. In some cases, new poles will be required if there's no suitable pole, and they may be close to homes and schools.
..... Irvington, which is three square miles, required 81 sites, Lupo said.
..... While these smaller (under 2 feet long) antennas can be placed more strategically to minimize dead spots, their number and placement create other concerns to be addressed by ordinances, Lupo said.
..... He aid there as steps towns can take to protect residents, but the time to act is before carriers apply for installation permits.

What to do to prepare for 5G:

..... Among the things towns can do:
* Keep the poles from proliferating. Require carries to share poles whenever possible
* Make them look good. New poles should match existing poles or light fixtures to minimizer their visual impact.
* Don't let companies abandon their junk. Companies must pay for dismantling and removal of equipment when it becomes obsolete.
* Don't allow monster poles. Limit heights to 38-42 feet.
* Monitor for 5G safety. Require carriers to post the most recent data on emissions at each antenna.
..... Towns should also regulate the placement so poles don't obstruct lines of sight or block sidewalks or handicap ramps, and collect maintenance fees for each pole.

Where towns are powerless against 5G:

.... What municipalities can't do is block the installations. "You can try, and you may win the first round, but ultimately the carries will win,: Lupo said.
..... They also can't dictate health standards. "The FCC decides whether these are safe for human exposure," Lupo said. "The FCC says this range of frequencies is safe."
..... Nor can they drag out the approval process. Installations are on :shot clock time frames," Lupo said. "Local governments have 90 days to approve a new small cell site with a new utility pole, and 60 days to approve a small cell site installed on an existing pole, traffic light, street lamp, etc."
.... And finally, they don't get to say where the pole goes," Lupo said. "There may be a little wiggle room, but mostly poles are set where they want." They can't prohibit installation on utility poles.
..... The Good news? "once you have it, you'll appreciate it," Lupo said.
..... He will address the Northwest Bergen Mayors' Association July 5. [2021]

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