Philly Council backs plan to clear up satellite dishes

Philadelphia City Council has passed a bill that would lower the profile of satellite dishes.

Councilman Darrell Clarke said the dish bill has been two years in the making and has been amended several times to make sure it will survive a court challenge. The goal, he said, is to clean up the facades of homes as well as removing disconnected dishes.

“It’s clear that this is a problem in the city, not the most pressing issue, but the reality is it’s a very unsightly situation,” said Clarke. “It is a safety hazard especially for our firemen to gain access into buildings.”

Clarke says there are too many inactive dishes, and they should be cleared off buildings.

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“We understand there are upwards of 5,000 that are not in service, just sitting on the facades of properties,” he said.

If the law withstands an expected court challenge, the dishes would have to be mounted out of sight or painted to match a building’s facade. Existing operating dishes would be allowed to remain.

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