The National Park Service issued the Guidelines for Siting, Design, Construction, and Operation of Wireless Telecommunication Facilities (“WTF Guidelines”), which provide a clear roadmap to both public and the private sector organizations for the installation of wireless telecommunication facilities, such as cellular, PCS, WiFi, and other wireless communications networks within the 75,000-acre Golden Gate National Recreation Area, a unit of the National Park Service in the Department of the Interior. The park is located in San Francisco, Marin, and San Mateo counties in northern California.
Through its WTF Guidelines, the Golden Gate National Recreation Area can protect its diverse natural and cultural resources while accommodating industry requirements for establishing wireless communication networks with high quality communication services. The Guidelines also benefit public safety services provided by the Golden Gate National Recreation Area law enforcement rangers and fire protection and suppression personnel.
The WTF Guidelines articulate park goals and objectives and provide examples of potentially acceptable and unacceptable sites for wireless telecommunication facilities. The WTF Guidelines then proceed to set forth design standards and construction requirements for WTF installation. The guidelines conclude with a description of the permit issuance, installation, and management process for approved WTF projects.
The WTF guidelines have been widely praised, as striking a balance between the demand for wireless telephony and the natural and cultural environment found in the National Recreation Area. Local government agencies are using the WTF guidelines for their own WTF planning and project review.
For more information, contact Mr. Paul Batlan at (415) 561-4471 or via e-mail at paul_batlan@nps.gov
