A proposed rewrite of Santa Fe's telecommunications-franchise ordinance was endorsed Monday by the city Public Works Committee, despite more than 20 people who opposed the ordinance and asked for a moratorium on new cell towers.

But Councilor Miguel Chavez voted against the proposal and other councilors suggested asking the Federal Communications Commission to allow municipalities to consider health and environment concerns in locating cell towers.

"My 'no' vote is questioning where we might go in the future and hopefully adding a voice to the interest in changing the federal FCC regulations," said Chavez, who is running for mayor next year. "I think we also have to accept some gap in the service in the interest of public health and safety."

Councilors Rosemary Romero, Chris Calvert and Patti Bushee also expressed interest in a resolution asking the FCC to rescind a law that prevents local governments to consider health and environmental considerations when determining where a cell tower can be built.

"I don't think anyone wants to ignore what is growing evidence with regard to the ever-increasing technology," said Bushee. "The city made a mistake of going out there and putting its own antennas on part of its water system and very quickly retreated on that."

The city's old telecommunications ordinance includes provisions that were struck down by a federal appellate court in 2004. Three companies seeking to establish new services in Santa Fe have asked the city to rewrite its ordinance: CityLink Fiber Holdings of Albuquerque, which seeks to build a fiber-optic system; and NewPath Networks of Seattle and Extenet Systems of Lisle, Ill., which seek to build a distributed antenna system to enhance wireless service.

Patti Ringo, director of municipal relations for the Western region of Extenet, attended Monday's meeting to support the new franchise ordinance. Outside the hearing room, she said her firm seeks to build a distributed antenna system that would blanket downtown and major thoroughfares, making it shaped like a hand.

Mark Morris, representing NewPath Networks, also attended but said nothing and declined comment outside the hearing room.

Inside, 21 people spoke against the new ordinance or granting new franchises to the companies. Many of them noted that Full Signal, film shown at the Santa Fe Film Festival, exposed the health effects of living near cell towers and how cell-phone companies have tried to cover up the dangers.

"This is a democracy," said Katie Singer. "That you can't say 'no' and we only have one minute to address this, that really touches me."

Patricia Waldygo said freedom of speech has been abridged by the FCC banning local consideration of health effects. A London apartment house has been deemed "the tower of doom" because so many residents have contracted cancer because of the cell towers on its roof, she said.

Jan Boyer, a psychotherapist, said clients from other parts of the country often ask her if they will be able to tolerate the electro-magnetic fields in Santa Fe. She also urged the councilors to amend the proposed ordinance so that the locations of new transmission devices can't be kept secret.

The councilors on the committee agreed to recommend that the ordinance be changed so that the locations can't be secret, but recommended the ordinance by a vote of 3 to 1. It goes to the Public Utilities Committee in January and to the full City Council in February.

The Public Works Committee also recommended approving extension of its franchise to CityLink Fiber Holdings for its fiber-optic system, but sent NewPath Networks' proposal for a distributed antenna system to the City Council without a recommendation. Extenet's proposal for another distributed antenna system has yet to reach the committee.

Contact Tom Sharpe at 986-3080 or tsharpe@sfnewmexican.com.