MARS — The Mars Borough Council voted to form a committee to discuss a proposed Small Wireless Facilities Ordinance and make decisions about design and fee scheduling.

At a meeting Monday night, the group voted for council members Christine Clutter, Brad Price and Julie Schultheis to comprise a committee that will read over the proposed ordinance document, which was created by Cohen Law Group.

In mid-October, the borough approved a working contract with Cohen Law Group to develop an ordinance related to the construction of small wireless facilities. The ordinance was planned to deal with utility poles, antennas and other facilities related to broadband and wireless, which are often built in public rights of way.

PA Act 50, or the Small Wireless Facilities Deployment Act, which was signed into law in June, adds regulations related to the construction of small wireless facilities. Small wireless facilities are defined by the state as having an antenna that is no more than 3 cubic feet in volume and having no more than 28 cubic feet of other equipment.

The act allows municipalities to charge a fee for permit applications and uses of rights of way. It also allows them to require “reasonable, technically feasible, nondiscriminatory and technologically neutral design or concealment measures” in a historic district or on historic buildings, and to develop objective design guidelines for small wireless facilities to minimize aesthetic impact.

The council plans to discuss the ordinance again at the borough meeting on April 18.