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1) Cell Towers <br />Management Intern Timothy Gladhill stated that in early 2008, the Council directed staff to <br />begin a moratorium on cell tower construction in the City. He noted that the Council can extend <br />this moratorium for another six months, if necessary. He stated that staff has researched cell <br />tower height and placement in area communities. He stated that both Edina .and Bloomington <br />have a shorter tower height requirement because they are a more densely populated community. <br />He stated that they are able to have more numerous towers because they are lower in height. He <br />stated that the shorter towers have a smaller amount of bandwidth on each tower. He stated that <br />for rural communities, the height of the tower really reflects the coverage area. He stated that he <br />had included a .summary of our current regulations; information on what surrounding <br />communities are doing; and maps that show the location and coverage areas for a.ell towers. He <br />noted that there is not a large inventory of sites available in the City that follow the current <br />criteria. He stated that many cities have regulations based on setbacks. because the usual <br />monopoles don't tip over, but collapse onto themselves. <br />Mayor Gamec stated that requiring a monopole would be an easy change to make. <br />Management Intern Gladhill stated that that is already in the ordinance, but the Council has the <br />ability to allow other designs if it chooses. <br />Mayor Gamec stated that he has heard there are problems with coverage in Ramsey because of <br />'the height of the landfill. <br />Councilmember Dehen stated that his concern with. the last tower proposed for Alpine Park was <br />that it stuck a big, 165-foot tall tower in the park. He stated that Bloomington has towers that are <br />60 feet high that they were able to work them into church bell towers and other existing <br />structures. He stated that he recalls the T-Mobile guy saying that their towers could be put onto <br />alight pole, but they weren't high enough. He stated that he would like to see them disguised in. <br />something like that rather than having contention with the neighbors .every time a tower is put <br />up. He stated he is fine with locating them in a park, but would like to see them incorporated in <br />a light pole or something. <br />Mayor Gamec stated that he agrees this would be a good plan and has seen where they have built <br />a tower and attached a light to it. He stated that there is a potential -for lease income from the <br />towers and feels that if it is located in a park, perhaps that money could go into the parks fund. <br />Management Intern Gladhill stated that the new water tower could also serve as a site -for a cell <br />tower. <br />Councilmember Look asked if there was still a possibility for a tower at the fire station. <br />Fire Chief Kapler stated that if the Ramsey Crossings would have gone through,. then there <br />would have been a displaced tower that could Have moved to the fire station site. . <br />Couneilmember Strommen arrived at the meeting. <br />-175- <br />