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Attachment A · 186 Chapter 1~ Planning and Zoning Regulations: Some Local Solutions By: Tony Blair Let's assume, for the moment, that you live in a town with no cellular towers and you want to help the town create zoning regulations that Will allow for maximum, control and oversight, consistent with federal law. Or, maybe your town has already been approa~ched by wireless service providers. You have applications for cell towers pending and you have discovered that your current regulations do not adequately protect the community. 'How do you get effective regulations in Place, or tighten the ones you have? What are the rights and responsibilities of the average citizen to effect change at the local level? What is reasonable to ask of municipal agents7 Where do you start? What Citizens Can Do Perhaps a cell tower or wireless installation has been proposed in your neighborhood. You've hit the panic button and don't know where to start. The first tasks at hand are to educate yourself, about the existing regulations in town, persuade the proper officials to recognize the need for a solid planning approach, and to bring effective, persistent political pressure on decision makers until they do what is necessary and consistent with their mandate to protect the health, safety,, and welfare of the community. Organizing. at the local level takes hard work. The very first step is to educate yourself about the local process and find out which board or office is responsible for drafting land-use regulations or zoning codes. A copy of such regulations can usually be gotten from the town or city clerk, the building inspector,, or the zoning enforcement officer. Find out which board Or office is responsible for permitting special uses such as cellular towers. Is it the zoning board? The zoning board of appeals? The city council? The planning board? Every state is different in how land-use powers are vested. Land-use regulation often differs from town to town. IW84