These lawmakers are predicting bad reception.
New Yorkers will be given a warning when eyesore 5G cell towers – which have been unscrupulously popping up “in the middle of the night” across the boroughs – are planned to go up on their block, according to a new City Council bill introduced Thursday.
The legislation, co-sponsored by Brooklyn council members Lincoln Restler and Jennifer Gutierrez, would require the city to notify those living within 500 feet of a proposed 32-foot cell tower of the plan at least 30 days in advance.
“This legislation ensures that there is a real conversation, real opportunity for feedback and a 30-day window where neighbors can weigh in,” Restler, who represents much of north Brooklyn, told The Post.
The legislation would also require the city to notify the appropriate council member, borough president and community board before a new “ugly” tower is erected.
If given a proper heads-up, electeds can invite the city to present the proposal in front of a community board and give neighbors the opportunity for a “back and forth,” Restler said.
“When there’s garbage on the street, the Department of Sanitation reminds property owners every single day that the sidewalk is their responsibility; when the sidewalk is uneven, the Department of Transportation reminds property owners every single day that the sidewalk is their responsibility,” the councilman added, “but when the Office of Technology and Innovation (OTI) wants to install a 32-foot tower on somebody’s sidewalk, they don’t think they need to even tell them – and that doesn’t make any sense.”
An OTI rep told The Post each proposed tower already goes through a 60-day review and public comment period, with the borough president, council member and community board invited to provide feedback.
“As Lincoln Restler should know, New York City already provides ample opportunities for community feedback before Link5Gs are ever placed in the ground,” a City Hall spokesperson said.
“The rollout of Link5Gs is based on ensuring that all New Yorkers have equal access to high-speed internet, which is no longer a luxury — it’s an essential service — and this bill, presented by a councilmember who fashions himself a progressive, would be another stumbling block in our mission to bridge the digital divide.”
The new 5G cell tower initiative is part of an ongoing Link5G project to build out the city’s high-speed internet infrastructure — what the city calls “the future of wireless,” as existing 4G tech is “unlikely to meet future growing demand.”
Hundreds of towers have been installed since 2022, with plans for a 2,000-strong fleet across the city within the next few years.
Alongside 5G support, the towers also allow passersby to charge devices with USB outlets or connect to locally broadcast wi-fi.
There are dozens of towers already in Restler’s district, according to Link NYC’s map – from window-blocking towers in Williamsburg to the tech sticking out like a sore thumb in historic brownstone Brooklyn, he said.
The Brooklyn councilman’s office similarly received hundreds of complaints when a 5G tower went up outside of 34 N. 7th St this April – including those questioning the safety of the technology.
Numerous studies, including one from the World Health Organization, have ruled 5G signals to be safe.
“I do believe that the towers are safe, and I do believe that they are necessary infrastructure that we need to site,” Restler said. “It’s just a question of finding the best places for them.”
Restler said he has “no idea” how many towers are planned for his district in the future, and is additionally calling for more transparency over the infrastructure initiative from the Adams administration.
“Nobody likes to see a tower installed and be told about it after the fact,” Restler said.
“The Adams administration owes it to election officials and communities to lay out a plan of how many of these towers they need, approximately how many in each neighborhood – and to work with us to try to find the best spots for them where we can strengthen our infrastructure without frustrating neighbors.”