Small cell installation throughout the District is coming soon to a street pole, perhaps near you. Neighbors have questions about the safety, aesthetics and guidelines, and Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 6B Commissioner Jennifer Samolyk (6B01) has called a meeting this Wednesday evening to address concerns.
The District has already entered into Master License Agreements (MLA) allowing five communications companies, including AT&T, Verizon, Extenet, Mobilitie and Crown Castle, to install the units throughout the city. The MLAs allow the companies to install wireless telecommunication antennae and equipment (small cell) units on cobra-neck street light poles and wooden utility poles or to install new, stand-alone poles on streets and named alleys, but does not allow units to be installed on Washington Globe light poles.
ANC 6B Chair Chander Jayaraman said that his understanding is that if the cellular companies meet the guidelines set by the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) they do not require approval from the ANC, only to give notice of installation. Commissioner Samolyk said that she had been informed that at least four units were to be installed in her Single Member District alone, on the 100 block of North Carolina Avenue SE, the 200 block of C Street SE and the 100 block of E Street SE.
Representatives from telecommunications companies are expected to attend the meeting and provide clarification about the equipment and its installation to residents and commissioners, said ANC 6B Chair Chander Jayaraman.
Invited Guests include:
- DC Council Member for Ward 6 Charles Allen, [email protected]
- District Department of Transportation (DDOT) Director Jeffrey Marootian, [email protected]
- DDOT Associate Director of Public Space Regulation istration Matthew Marcou, [email protected]
- DDOT Arborist Steve McKindley-Ward, [email protected]
- DDOT Public Space Permit Office Public Space Manager Garrett Elliott, [email protected]
- Office of the Chief Technology Officer (OCTO) Project Manager, David Clow, [email protected]
- At&T Mobility Senior Real Estate and Construction Manager Genelle Newhard, [email protected] and Jennifer Van Riper [email protected] from AT&T Mobility
- Verizon Director External Affairs Mario Acosta-Velez, [email protected] with David Gray, [email protected] and Brian Stover also from Verizon [email protected]
- Crown Castle Manager RF Engineering J.D McCloskey [email protected] with
Government Affairs Manager Carly Didden, [email protected] - Network Building and Consulting Project Manager, Jeff Javier, [email protected]
The meeting will take place from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday, June 12 at the first floor Conference Room at The Yards workspace (700 Pennsylvania Ave. SE). All are welcome.
