Verizon – Planning fee stalls choice on Verizon communications tower | Information
After receiving a number of public feedback from involved residents and a wrestle to get a concrete reply on town and planning fee’s authority on peak limits for a proposed 76-foot Verizon 4G LTE communications tower, the Healdsburg Planning Fee determined to push the subject to a gathering later this month so as to additional examine the questions and considerations earlier than making a call on the challenge.
The proposed challenge consists of a 76-foot tall monopole tower supporting 9 wi-fi antenna panels and tools on a city-owned parcel at 923 S Fitch Mountain Highway adjoining to the Tayman Park and golf membership.
The tower can be designed to appear like a broadleaf tree so as to mix in with the encompassing foliage and whereas commissioners thought the design regarded good, there was concern as as to if or not Verizon may select to extend the peak of the tower by 20-feet or if the peak could possibly be elevated if one other provider determined so as to add their tools to the ability.
“One of the comment letters that came in said that the cell tower applicants have a right under federal law to increase the height of the cell tower by 20-feet without community approval… My question is, is there anything that gives this applicant the right just because the applicant feels like it, to go up 20 more feet,” Commissioner Phil Lux requested.
Samantha Zutler, town’s lawyer, stated as she understands it the tower may go to 76-feet as is proposed.
“My understanding is that they are applying to go up to 76-feet, which Commissioner Lux is correct, that’s what this permit would authorize. I think that by law they are able to go up higher than 76-feet, but they would not be able to with this particular tower,” Zutler stated.
Healdsburg Planning Fee Chair Dan Petrik requested if a request to co-locate one other provider’s tools or if a request from the applicant to lift the tower 20 extra ft would advantage an modification to the conditional use allow for the challenge.
“If there would be a new party coming to the site and wanting to use the site there would be support at a federal and state law level, but the carrier would need to go through an application as we are doing this evening,” in keeping with metropolis employees.
Commissioner Kevin Deas requested a query just like Lux’s because it was nonetheless a bit hazy whether or not or not state or Federal Communications Fee legal guidelines would supersede a fee choice limiting or approving a peak change sooner or later.
He requested if town is proscribed on subsequent selections to the change of allow.
“We’d have to look at federal and state law and our local ordinances that pertain to that … in terms of maximum height limits. If they are within the parameters for what is allowable per federal, state and local law they would be in a position to have that support in terms of being able to move forward with presumably a favorable determination on their application,” stated town’s interim planning director, David Woltering.
The applicant consultant stated there are at the moment no plans to go above 76-feet and there was no curiosity from different carriers to make use of the ability for his or her tools.
Residents had been involved in regards to the peak, however their fundamental qualm with the challenge was how the tower will look from their vantage on Greens Drive.
“… It is going to be very visible from our community so we are concerned for ourselves and our neighbors that it is going to be a pretty large object in the skyline that was not given any consideration for the photographs presented from our vantage point,” Greens Drive resident David Jones stated throughout the public listening to portion of the Dec. eight planning fee assembly.
Healdsburg Assistant Metropolis Planner Jeff Fisher stated the tower could have a screening fencing round it with inexperienced slates in an effort to camouflage the ability extra with its environment.
As a part of the tree design the tower shall be painted brown and could have fake eight to 14-foot lengthy branches with leaf socks that cowl the antenna and dish.
Others opined that residents weren’t given sufficient time to learn and evaluation the challenge.
Resident Camille Jones stated they had been notified about 4 days previous to the Dec. eight planning fee assembly. She stated she felt as if they didn’t have sufficient time to contemplate this and discover it and see what the tower may appear like from numerous vantage points.
Resident Brad Drexler echoed the Jones’ feedback and requested the fee if residents may have extra time to look into the challenge earlier than the fee makes a proper movement and choice on it
Commissioner Jerry Eddinger stated irrespective of the place they put the tower somebody isn’t going to be comfortable about it and Deas added that a further tower that improves cell sign and repair can be good for communication wants within the occasion of an emergency.
The town of Healdsburg has had notoriously poor cell sign and repair, which is usually a problem when sending out emergency alerts equivalent to Nixle or when making calls.
The query in regards to the authority of town over state and federal legislation and conditions on cell tower peak and attainable peak improve lingered all through the assembly and Lux and Petrik as soon as once more voiced their fear as as to if town has the ability to maintain the tower at a most of 76-feet.
In consequence, the fee made a unanimous movement to deliver the merchandise again to the Dec. 15 assembly so metropolis employees can have extra time to look into the resident’s considerations and so Zutler can additional look into town versus state and federal authority on tower peak.
“It looks like Sam (Zutler) needs more time to be absolutely certain about what the law says on this and it sounds pretty complicated,” Petrik stated. “And I think there were a few things that staff can maybe work on with the applicant to see if there are any options to work on some of the aesthetic height issues to address some of the concerns on height and if there is any way to produce another photo simulation that might address some of the concerns of the public and then come back at the next meeting on the 15th.”
