Landowners are approached every day by cell tower companies looking to use their property to house telecom equipment. The first thing a property owner needs to understand is what their bargaining power is in this potential cell tower transaction. Cell tower lease negotiations rely heavily upon the distinctive characteristics of the proposed tower location involved, and, in turn, what the property’s perceived value is to the cell phone carrier or tower company, with that perceived value varying from site to site and cell tower company to cell tower company.
Several factors need to be addressed when negotiating with a telecom or cell tower company. One factor is the detail of your property, such as building height relative to the adjacent buildings in your immediate area or whether or not your land contains topography attributes that distinguish it from others in the area. Another factor is what option a cell tower company has as it pertains to other buildings or properties in the area with a similar layout and zoning classifications. A third factor is whether or not your property provides sufficient space for a cell tower company to construct a tower, as well as to allow for possible expansion in the future. Having proper information and counsel is important if you are contacted to place a cell tower of on your property. Once you have been contacted by a cell phone carrier or tower, you will be asked to move quickly, but, more importantly, you need to move carefully, armed with knowledge.
