Product No.: MIT024
Date Published: 09/2012
If you would like to request a printed copy (or copies) of this product, please call DVRPC at 215-592-1800 or email the staff contact listed below. If you would like to request this publication or portion of this publication in another language or format, please fill out a request form.
As multiple providers compete to expand their services and construct new towers, local governments can find themselves caught in contentious disputes between legally-savvy corporations and discontented citizens. Unlike other controversial land uses, however, the placement of wireless services facilities is governed by a body of federal laws, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rulings, and judicial cases that can confound uninformed attempts to regulate it through traditional zoning. Fortunately, these rulings have also served to clarify the 1996 Telecommunications Act to the point that municipalities can develop a precise understanding of their rights and limitations for siting wireless towers. This brochure seeks to provide a thorough overview of issues surrounding the zoning of wireless service facilities, including legislative and regulatory background, a list of best practices for municipalities, and a review of cases relevant to communities in the Greater Philadelphia region.Geographic Area Covered: DVRPC region
Key Words: cell towers, local governments, 1996 Telecommunications Act, wireless, property values, wireless aesthetics, Federal Communications Commission (FCC), attachments, municipal zoning
Staff Contact(s)
- Karen P. Cilurso, PP, AICP (kpcilurso@dvrpc.org)
Translation Request
DVRPC’s publications or portions of publications can be translated in alternative languages and formats if requested. To request translation, please submit the form below. You can also contact DVRPC’s Office of Communications & Engagement at 215-592-1800 or public_affairs@dvrpc.org.
Title VI Statement
In effect as of January 30, 2025
The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) fully complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987, and related nondiscrimination mandates in all programs and activities. DVRPC is committed to ensuring that no person is excluded from participation in, or denied the benefits of, all programs and activities on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, age, gender, disability, sexual orientation, or income level, as protected by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other related nondiscrimination mandates.
DVRPC's website, www.dvrpc.org, may be translated into multiple languages. Publications and other public documents can be made available in alternative languages and formats, if requested. DVRPC’s public meetings are always held in ADA-accessible facilities and in transit-accessible locations whenever possible. DVRPC will work to accommodate all reasonable requests for translation, interpretation, accommodations or other auxiliary services and encourages that requests be made at least seven days prior to a public meeting. Requests can be made by contacting the Commission’s ADA and Title VI Compliance Officer Shoshana Akins via email at public_affairs@dvrpc.org, calling (215) 592-1800, or while registering for an upcoming meeting.
Any person who believes they have been aggrieved by an unlawful discriminatory practice by DVRPC under Title VI has a right to file a formal complaint. Any such complaint must be in writing and filed with DVRPC's ADA and Title VI Compliance Officer Shoshana Akins and/or the appropriate state or federal agency within 180 days of the alleged discriminatory occurrence. Complaints that a program, service, or activity of DVRPC is not accessible to persons with disabilities should be directed to Shoshana Akins as well. For more information on DVRPC's Title VI program or to obtain a Title VI Complaint Form, please visit: www.dvrpc.org/GetInvolved/TitleVI, call (215) 592-1800, or email public_affairs@dvrpc.org.