And yet, we all want better cell service in various parts of town.

Multiply these ugly devices X # of providers = a real issue.
How about putting them at gas stations, right by freeway entrances/exits, the city municipal yard, fire stations, that kind of location, instead of right next to peoples’ homes.

Now that our city council has saved us from the scourge of good cell phone service, after previously saving adults from buying legal vaping products, it is time to move on. What about local retail? The council needs to institute a ban on local residents buying stuff from Amazon. They need to shop locally. Let's codify this now. And don't worry about dealing with grade separation--the peninsula will just wait until Palo alto makes a decision.

Anonymous,

Not every house is close enough to the locations you specify.

"The new rules aim to alleviate the anxieties of residents who have been arguing for years that the telecommunication equipment causes health, aesthetic and noise impacts. They aim to steer the equipment away from residential zones and toward commercial ones."

That's fine if people are willing to go to commercial zones whenever they want to use their iPhones. Here are the options.

The phone needs to receive signals above a certain threshold in order to function. You achieve that threshold by having a low-power tower near where you live, or a high-power tower in a more distant "commercial" zone. Net result: little change in your tower EMF exposure if you live in deep suburbia, increasing tower EMF exposure as you live nearer a commercial zone.

The tower needs to receive signals above a certain threshold in order to function. You achieve that threshold by having a tower near where you live, or a high-transmitter-power phone that can create the necessary signal strength at a tower in a more distant "commercial" zone. Net result: huge increase in the EMF right by your ear.

Which option makes you less apprehensive?

Break out the tin foil hats and save up your quarters to make calls on the handful of payphones scattered around town. Chalk up another crappy decision by city council and managers.

We already have no service at our house for a just bought iPhone11, will return it tomorrow.

Given that these things have absolutely no health consequences, indulging the equivalent of anti-vaxxers is counter productive and should form no part of any policy.

For the health and safety of our community, 5G cell towers should not be in residential neighborhoods.

It is absolutely ridiculous to say there are NO health impacts. There haven't been any tests since the FCC established standards in 1999. There is a reason why Anna Eschoo and Dick Blumenthal have said "we are flying blind here" regarding 5G and put forth a proposal to get this stuff tested!

Don't forget the FCC is run by Ajit Pai (appointed by President Trump who doesn't always make the right call). Ajit Pai is the former General Counsel of Verizon. Any wonder why testing and regulations are dismissed. Build baby build.

Some caution and testing before mass deployment is appropriate. The FDA should at least weigh in (which they have not).