Here’s an interactive map showing hundreds of 5G transmitters permitted in Salt Lake City. See if one is coming to your neighborhood.
The city council is considering possible measures to make the technology less of a thorn in the side.
(Rick Egan | Tribune file photo) Dorothea Rosenberger stands next to the base for a 5G tower in front of her home, which is on the 1100 East history register in Salt Lake City on January 5, 2021. If you live in Salt Lake City, one will likely come to a corner near you. The Tribune has put together an interactive map based on the city permit records.
If you live in Salt Lake City, the chances are good that a 5G transmitter will get to a pole near you.
The new wireless technology for small cells is fueling the ire of homeowners. Some did not realize that a pole was planned for the right of way in front of their house until they saw a quick message in the newspaper or showed up as contractors for the cell phone companies to begin construction.
The Salt Lake Tribune searched the permits previously reviewed by the city’s engineering department and created an interactive map from the data.
But there is one major caveat – there are at least 300 “tentative” planned small cells that the city says will not be available upon a search for public records.
“They become public information as soon as they are allowed,” wrote Chris Norlem, an urban development program manager, in an email.
That means the number of marks on the map could more than double in the coming months.
Some of the permissions on the card have also been denied or revoked. Clicking on the mark will display the approval status and the cellular company behind it. You can find more information about the project by searching the permit number on the Salt Lake City Citizen Access Portal.
City engineers previously told The Tribune that the city has no way of knowing how many 5G poles will ultimately line public right of way because cellular companies won’t have to disclose this information.
A spokesman for Verizon, which has by far the largest number of small cell permits in Salt Lake City, previously said the company “does not publicly discuss future plans to build networks.”
Small cell structures are more common than traditional large cell towers because 5G radio waves are smaller. Their antennas need to be closer together to carry their high frequency signals.
City officials would prefer to add small cells to existing structures such as street lamps and power poles. Utah municipalities have little control over where the tiny cells are placed, however, as lawmakers passed legislation in 2018 that allows cellular companies to place 5G technology virtually anywhere in the public right of way, as long as they don’t is a traffic hazard.
Federal regulations also prohibit local governments from restricting the placement of small cells.
“The laws in force … are extremely industry-friendly,” said Kimberly Chytraus, a city attorney, at a city council working session Tuesday evening.
So far, four cellular companies in Salt Lake City have applied for permits and they don’t have to share poles.
Council members are currently discussing how to improve the aesthetics of the poles or how to encourage companies to split poles or add their small cells to existing ones.
However, adding a 5G antenna to a street lamp or power line creates its own complications. The advantage of the current 5G poles is that they are self-contained – all the wires and gauges are inside.
Placing a small cell on top of an existing tower would still mean cellular companies would have to build a secondary structure to house these components, although it would likely be much shorter than the 30- to 45-foot 5G poles currently around City emerge.
“We can put a man on the moon. We can find that out too, ”said Councilor Dan Dugan. “We don’t need any additional poles.”
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