4/1/13 - The Handy Township Planning Commission is not complaining that a state-mandated ordinance amendment will diminish local control over cellular service providers. The ordinance, unanimously passed by the commission last week, makes it a permitted use for cellular companies to place new antennas on existing cellular towers, called âpiggybacking.â Currently the process is a special use, requiring the cellular companies to get approval from the township. The amendment is a state-mandated change to local ordinance that reduces the power of the local government, but Township Supervisor Dr. Hank Vaupel says Handy has no major objections to the change. He says piggybacking is already the preferred way to allow cellular companies increase local coverage, and that it is preferable to constructing more cell towers to hold the antennas. Even though local governments have no say in the matter, the ordinance amendment must still be sent to the county planning commission for review before getting final approval from the township board. (TD)
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