Suburban cities are setting standards for small cell phone towers as a law that allows those structures kicks in this week.

Centerville, Kettering, Miamisburg and Springboro are among the latest jurisdictions to approve guidelines and design standards for 5G mobile technology facilities, the subject of Ohio House Bill 478, which permits small cell wireless facilities throughout Ohio effective Aug. 1.  

The 5G technology is expected to be “significantly faster” than current service, according to those in the industry.

The towers will be more visible to the public “due to the increased numbers and to generally being located on city or utility poles along the streets,” according to Brian Humphress, executive director of the Miami Valley Communications Council.

“The biggest concern with 5G construction was the potential impact on public safety and local community aesthetics,” he added.  

Thus, cities are restricting the locations and the dimensions of the new structures, as well as approving other guidelines. Miamisburg, for example, has passed measures requiring future utilities to be buried in some areas like Main Street, said City Planner Ryan Homsi.  

“While this is not a bad technology, a big focus of our ordinance — as well as several other local communities — is ensuring the cities have the ability to push small cells out of areas where no above-ground utilities are currently present,” he said.  

Companies will be “encouraged,” Homsi said, to have new towers in alleys or in public parking lots “which we have spread throughout the downtown area.”  

The city’s ordinance — which was “based heavily on a draft that was prepared by the city of Kettering,” Homsi said — limits the height of the new towers to 40 feet.