Minutes - Planning Commission - 12/05/2000

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NOTE CITY COUNCIL MINUTES 1) City Council regular meeting minutes dated October 24, 2000 2) City Council regular meeting minutes dated November 14, 2000 PUBLIC HEARINGS/COMMISSION BUSINESS Case #1: Request for a Conditional Use Permit for a Self Supporting Lattice Telecommunication Tower; Case of American Tower Chairperson Nixt closed the regular portion of the Planning Commission meeting at 7:29 p.m. in order to call the public hearing back to order. Public Hearing Chairperson Nixt called the public hearing back to order at 7:29 p.m. Presentation Community Development Assistant Wald stated that the City of Ramsey has received an application from American Tower Corporation to construct and operate a lattice telecommunication tower for Verizon Wireless on the property located at 14165 Ramsey Boulevard, which is owned by Brace Volk. The applicant is proposing to construct a 175 foot self supporting lattice tower in the southeast comer of Mr. Volk's 4.68 acre parcel. The applicant is proposing to lease a 100 foot (10,000 square feet) area. The proposed tower location will be to the east of the existing auto repair building located on the subject property. The site is zoned Business Warehouse and properties to the north, east, and west are also zoned Business Warehouse. Property on the south side of the railroad tracks is zoned B-3 Highway Business. The proposed lease area will contain a six foot chain link fence around a 60 foot by 60 foot area. This area will contain the 12 foot by 20 foot equipment shelter and provides enough space to support equipment for future co-locators. The City is currently constructing a water tower to the north of the subject property that could facilitate the proposed telecommunication service. HoWever the applicant has stated that due to the projected July completion date for the water tower and their intention to also co-locate on the existing water tower located off of C.R. #5 and Dysprosium Street, the new water tower site does not meet their immediate need to fill the existing coverage gaps by January 2001 and ultimately provide for a higher coverage area. The applicant has stated and provided propagation maps explaining that the existing 120 foot tower approximately one mile to the west of the subject property is not high enough to meet their desired coverage needs. City Code requires cell towers to be a monopole design unless the City Council determines that an alternative design is preferred in cases where structural or design considerations, neighborhood compatibility, location availability, or the number of potential co- locations warrants this consideration. The applicant proposed a self-supporting lattice tower; they have stated that the proposed tower could hold more carriers (approximately four co- Planning Commission/December 5, 2000 Page 2 of 17