The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case from California involving whether a city has to pay attorney fees if it loses a tower siting case. “With the unprecedented number of cellular antennas sprouting up in our communities, the decision that the Supreme Court hands down on this matter will have financial as well as quality-of-life ramifications for city and county governments across the nation,” said Carol Lynch, city attorney for Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif.
Mark Abrams, an SMR operator, wanted to use a 54-foot antenna on his property for commercial purposes but the permit was denied by Rancho Palos Verdes. Abrams sued and won a federal court ruling in 2002. Since then Abrams has been trying to get attorney fees and other monetary compensation. Earlier this year, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit ruled in Abrams’ favor. The Supreme Court is expected to hear oral argument in the case early next year.”Rancho Palos Verdes, with its prime location atop a hill, is especially vulnerable to being transformed from a community known for its breathtaking vistas of the ocean and inviting open spaces to a semi-industrial antennae farm,” said Terry Clark, Rancho Palos Verdes mayor pro tem.
