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612 - 321 -4833 MINNEGASCO HR 957 PO4 SEP 22 '97 11:37 <br />5.40.87 Placement of wireless telecommunications antennas and towers <br />1. POLICY STATEMENT <br />The Ramsey County Board of Commissioners believes that wireless <br />telecommunications are vital to the long term interests of the <br />citizens of Ramsey County. However, unrestrained development of <br />antennas and towers by competing telecommunications companies poses <br />a safety and aesthetic threat to the quality of life in the County <br />and should be minimized with placement regulated to the extent <br />possible. <br />The County Board of Commissioners encourages cities to use the <br />following order of priority for antenna and tower placement: <br />1. Public Property in industrial locations <br />2. Public property in general <br />3. Private commercial /industrial property <br />2. COUNTY OWNED PROPERTY <br />The County has received requests from telecommunications providers <br />to place antennas and towers on County owned property. Federal law <br />makes a tower owner, not necessarily the wireless service provider, <br />responsible for safety, compliance with FCC and FAA rules, and <br />other regulations. (Antennas are often placed on a publicly owned <br />building, water tower or communications tower.) Ramsey County <br />prefers that antennas be placed on existing towers or buildings <br />rather than newly constructed towers whenever possible. To ensure <br />minimum risk exposure for the County, the following policy is <br />established to guide County officials in discussions with <br />telecommunications providers. <br />Ramsey County Property Management is responsible for the on -going <br />negotiation, administration and management of these lease <br />agreements. A11 lease agreements will be handled in conjunction <br />with the department responsible for the property. <br />Priority for Property Use <br />Public agencies, including Ramsey County, operate wireless <br />telecommunications systems. These systems usually are operated for <br />the public safety and should take precedence over private <br />communication systems. Priority for the use of County owned <br />land /property for wireless telecommunications is given in the <br />following order: <br />1. Ramsey County; <br />2. Public safety agencies, including but not limited to law <br />enforcement, fire and ambulance services, for both public <br />agencies and private providers within the County; <br />3. Other public agencies for uses not related to public safety; <br />4. Entities providing licensed commercial wireless <br />telecommunication services including cellular, personal <br />communication services (PCS), paging and other similar services <br />that are marketed to the general public, some of which may or <br />may not be utilized by public safety agencies. <br />Page 36 <br />