St. Pete Beach residents frustrated over wireless infrastructure ordinance

Residents argue city staff removed key language that would make the tower rule more effective.

ST. PETE BEACH, Fla. — The city of St. Pete beach is moving forward with a new ordinance that impacts wireless infrastructure, but some residents argue city staff removed key language that would make the tower rule more effective.

“I felt like the residents got bamboozled,” Lauren Mones, a St. Pete Beach resident, said.

Mones said she and other residents spent more than a year developing an ordinance to limit where 5G towers can be installed in St. Pete Beach.

“We need at least a fall zone. So, this tower in front of my friend Roger’s home is at least 50 feet, and it’s set back only 30 feet from his house. I mean this egregious,” Mones said.

She said residents pushed for a mandatory 40-foot setback in residential rights-of-way to protect homes if towers fall during storms. The city passed an ordinance, but not in the way neighbors and some commissioners expected.

“I needed clarification as to what the motion was and what was drawn, because I feel what’s written is not what was voted for,” Betty Rzewnicki, former commissioner of District 3, said.

“I was for the mandatory for the citizen’s language as well,” Commissioner Lisa Robinson, District 2, said.

The ordinance said registrants are encouraged to meet a setback of at least 40 feet from any existing residential dwelling unit.

“The staff proposal always had encourage for both sections. The citizen’s proposal was mandatory. Both Verizon and AT&T wrote letters and stated that mandatory is preempted by state statutes,” city attorney Ralf Brooks said. 

“What is being suggested would be in direct violation of state statute of what we are allowed to do in right of ways,” Matt Mucci, AT&T representative, said.

Mones said there were several conversations saying that wasn’t the case. 

“By him saying we’re 100% preempted, let’s insert the word encourage, he is completely wrong to do that. Because we do have a choice. The local government has a choice of where these towers can go,” Mones said.

For now, the ordinance remains unchanged as officials await guidance from the attorney before final adoption.

“I’m not happy about it. I think we all messed up,” Robinson said. 

10 Tampa Bay News has not yet heard back from the city of St Pete beach about these concerns. If she has to, Mones said she’s okay with repealing the ordinance and starting over.