Speakers on a Carmel-by-the-Sea briefing outlined how land-use applications for wireless telecommunications are reviewed in two steps: a preliminary completeness review followed by a merit-based project review. They also said the Federal Communications Commission is pursuing rulemaking that could curtail municipal authority over small-cell wireless facilities, and that the council has agreed to contribute roughly $3,000 in coordinated funding to push back.

A council speaker explained that the first step is a completeness review to confirm the application includes all required technical reports and drawings; if information is missing, the application is returned to the applicant and the review timeline pauses. The second step examines design standards and code compliance, such as alignment with windows and view sheds, before a decision to approve or deny the project.

Speakers said the FCC is in rulemaking to strip away certain local regulatory rights for small-cell wireless facilities; the briefing recorded an agreement by councilmembers to "invest in that" with about $3,000 in funding. The briefing did not specify whether the contribution is to a legal defense fund, an association, or another vehicle for intervention. No ordinance number, staff report, or formal motion was presented in the recorded remarks.

The remarks were presented as a procedural explanation and an update on the city's intended participation in the regulatory process; no local permit decisions were made during the briefing.