Agenda - Planning Commission - 09/03/1996

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City Of Ramsey 8/12/96 Page: 3 l interface with other cell sites, provide connections to the land line telephone network and lir~c the cell site with the Mobile Switching Center (MSC). All :cell sites are connected to a MCS. APT'S switching Center will be located within the greater Minneapolis area. The MSC operates the PCS telephone system. It controls all calls into and out of the system, tracks system usage for billing purposes, coordinates cell site interaction and monitors the performance of individual cell sites and portable telephones and associated equipment. Other proposed APT sites cannot provide coverage to the City of Ramsey, due to distance and topographic constraints. The proposed Ramsey ceil site would establish service for the Ramsey area and Hwy. 10 between Anoka and Elk River. As stated previously, APT is one of the two licensees authorized by the FCC to provide perSonal Communication Service in the aforementioned area's. APT is obligated to provide a certain level of service in order to maintain its license. This specific site was selected after lengthy analysis by the applicant's engineering group. Selection criteria include but are not limited to the following: !) Demand exists for PCS coverage in and around the proposed location. 2) Limitations imposed by surrounding topography, the intended service area of the cell site. 3) The ability of the site to "see" other sites from its proposed location. 4) Available suitable access to the proposed site, in order to minimize damage to surrounding environment, 5) Availability of electrical service. 6) Availability of telephone land line service. 7) A willing property lessor. AVailability of other appropriately zoned sites, as well as sites not requiring a conditional use permit were undesirable, due to more than one of the aforelisted selection criteria. The applicants use of the site will not create excessive traffic congestion on nearby streets or overburden the following public facilities and services: water, sewer, storm drainage, electrical service, fire protection and schools. At'1er a short construction period, there will be very little activity associated with the proposed communications facility. No personnel will be stationed at the site. The facility is operated and monitored by r. emote control from the Mobile Switching Center in Minneapolis. The equipment cabinets are not equipped with water or sewage facilities and is not designed to house employees. The cabinets are intended only to enclose and