States Must Ease Zoning, Permit Regulations for Broadband Buildouts

States must ease regulations surrounding local building permits and zoning that may prevent internet service providers from building broadband infrastructure, according to experts in community and stakeholder engagement at a June 28 Rural Broadband Conference. “If you want to attract private industry or want to bring fiber to your community, you have to take a serious look at red tape,” said Bob Knight, CEO of marketing firm Harrison Edwards Strategic Communications. The Upstate New York Town Association, a group dedicated to serving the needs of upstate New York communities, indicated that it would continue to lobby for an easing of state regulations to support broadband connectivity in its region. Knight encouraged states to engage with stakeholders and local community members to make the process easier and build networks in a timely fashion. Communities in Upstate New York worked with local engineers to develop broadband models that work for their topography. Understanding the local geography proved beneficial in building out networks that connect to all community members, said Carolyn Price, executive director of the Upstate Association.