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<br />CASE # '3 <br /> <br />PUBLIC HEARING <br />CONSIDER ORDINANCE TO AMEND CITY CODE SECTION 9.15 TOWERS; <br />CASE OF CITY OF RAMSEY <br />By: Tim Gladhill, Associate Planner <br /> <br />Background: <br /> <br />A moratorium on the construction of cell towers is currently in effect until September 17, 2008. <br />Staff has proposed amendments to City Code Section 9.15 relating to the construction of cell <br />phone towers. <br /> <br />The following items are enclosed for your information: <br /> <br />a) Proposed edited Ordinance with additions and deletions <br />b) Exhibit Depicting Current Tower Overlay <br />c) Exhibit Depicting Proposed Tower Overlay District <br />d) Exhibit Depicting Current Tower Locations <br />e) Minutes from May 27, 2008 City Council Work Session <br /> <br />Notification: <br /> <br />Notification for the Public Hearing was properly advertised per State Statute. Letters were sent <br />to property owners affected by the change in the Tower Overlay District. <br /> <br />Observations: <br /> <br />As the Planning Commission may recall, there has been significant discussion regarding height <br />of towers, placem'ent of towers, as well as some minor revisions needed since the addition of the <br />Public/Quasi-Public and Town Center zoning designations to City Code. Due to the increased <br />demand of cell phone technology, cell phone providers state that additional towers and antennas <br />are required to provide basic, uninterrupted service to customers,' especially from within <br />structures or homes. Many cell phone providers have stated that since more people are using cell <br />phone technology as the primary phone, 911 communication on a cell phone from within a <br />structure is especially important. Currently, towers are allowed on residential parcels that are at <br />least ten (10) acres in size within the Tower Overlay District as shown on the official Zoning <br />Map, all church, park, government, school, utility, and institutional sites that are also at least ten <br />(10) acres in size, and all commercial and industrial parcels. <br /> <br />The Telecommunications Act of 1996 states that: <br /> <br />1. Local government regulations may not unreasonably discriminate among providers of <br />functionally equivalent services. <br /> <br />33 <br />