Small Cell Infrastructure

To regulate the applications for small cell installations from telecommunication companies, we have established a comprehensive design review and approval process.

Applicants can only propose installation of equipment on existing poles and must work in conjunction with macrocells (cell towers) already in place to provide wireless coverage. Small cell antennas are not stand-alone cell towers.

Current Project Updates

Public Works staff brought proposed changes to San Mateo Municipal Code 17.10 and Design Standards to the Sustainability and Infrastructure Commission on April 14, 2021, and received public feedback and recommendations. The commission recommended approval to the City Council.

Public Works staff will be bringing the code and standards update to the City Council on June 7, 2021. Find San Mateo City Council agendas at: Agendas & Minutes Public Meeting Portal | San Mateo, CA - Official Website (cityofsanmateo.org)

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Project Status

We are currently accepting new telecom permits. We review telecom permits using the Federal Communications Commission’s guidelines and our own codified ordinance.

As of January 2020, there are three companies with Master License Agreements to install small cell facilities on City-owned streetlights. Please reference the small cell map on this page for additional information on applications currently under review.

We adopted the ordinance (SMMC 17.10) in 2018 that established a process for wireless telecommunication sites in the public right-of-way. The ordinance and the corresponding standards were adopted shortly before the Federal Communications Commission adopted its 2018 order addressing small cell approval procedures. In September 2020, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed most of the FCC’s requirements, including that small cells be approved under reasonable standards within a 60/90-day shot clock period.

Given the new legislation, it is recommended that we amend SMMC 17.10 and the corresponding standards to provide a streamlined process and objective standards.