Petersburg wireless ordinance advances 5-0 as vice mayor calls process 'deeply flawed'

The Petersburg Borough Assembly voted 5-0 Monday to advance its wireless communication facilities ordinance on second reading, even as Vice Mayor Stanton Gregor declared the process behind it "deeply flawed" and the most amendment-heavy he had seen in his time on the body.

"During my time on the assembly, I've never seen 15 amendments on an ordinance," Gregor said. "I think this is a very rushed ordinance that due to all these amendments can appear that it lacks transparency. I don't think that is the intent of this, but I think it feels that way."

Gregor voted yes on both the 10 amendments and the amended ordinance but made his position plain before the roll was called. "My take is, if we have to do 15 amendments, we should have not brought it forward until it was done," he said. "I think this process is and has been deeply flawed in how we got there."

The ordinance arrived at its second reading carrying 10 new amendments, on top of five adopted at the first reading on June 15. The assembly adopted all 10 amendments 5-0 before approving the amended ordinance on the same vote. If adopted after a required third reading, the ordinance would establish zoning and permitting standards for wireless facilities across Petersburg, require Planning Commission review as a conditional use, prioritize colocation, and set development standards including sensitive-area setbacks. It also includes a waiver procedure for situations where strict compliance would require technically impossible designs, cause structural instability, or leave a coverage area unable to handle emergency calls.

Public Hearing

Several residents testified during the public hearing, pushing back on the pace of the process, the reduction of sensitive-area setbacks from 1,500 feet to 500 feet, and what they described as insufficient local control over carrier decisions. Tom Kowalski, speaking on behalf of Alaska for Safe Tech, called for a moratorium on further tower development. "These setback requirements are very important here in Petersburg, and one of those rationales being that there's safety issues, including ice buildup. We had a lot of ice this year, and that's something that needs to be considered with setbacks," Kowalski said. He also argued that hospitals, assisted living facilities, and the fire hall deserve stronger protection than the ordinance currently provides. Other residents called for independent RF measurements before any further development. Resident Judy Ulmer said roughly 350 people have signed a statement of concern about tower placement in the community.

Multiple speakers raised concerns about litigation threats from carriers and the assembly's decision to defer RF compliance determinations to the FCC rather than retaining local oversight. The ordinance is written to remain consistent with the Federal Telecommunications Act of 1996, which limits what local governments can regulate on RF health grounds. A third and final reading is required before the ordinance takes effect.