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N <br />I N C <br />MEMORANDUM <br />NORTHWEST ASSOCIATED CONSULTANTS <br />COMMUNITY PLANNING ' DESIGN - MARKET RESEARCH <br />TO: Little Canada Planning Commission <br />FROM: Stephen Grittman <br />DATE: October 6, 1997 <br />RE: Little Canada - US West Zoning Ordinance Amendment <br />FILE NO: 758.09 - 97.24 <br />US West has applied for an amendment to the Zoning Ordinance which would modify the <br />City's current regulation of wireless antenna locations. Currently, the City prohibits such <br />facilities in residential districts, and requires a Conditional Use Permit for location in <br />commercial or industrial districts. New antenna arrays are allowed by an administrative <br />permit if they are located on existing towers or on the City's water tower. The applicant <br />has requested that the City add existing public utility structures, such as the NSP <br />transmission towers to be included in the administrative permit list, and that such public <br />utility towers in residential districts be made available, <br />Staff views this concept generally favorably, with some limitations on (1) the location in <br />residential areas; (2) utility structures which would qualify for the antenna location; and (3) <br />screening of the ground- mounted equipment unit which accompanies each antenna array. <br />With regard to residential areas, there may be certain locations where the equipment <br />building (currently 9 1/2 by 12 feet) may be inappropriate, or access would be inconsistent <br />with the residential character of the area. The second area of concern relates to the <br />proposed location on any public utility structure. Conceivably, this could include street light <br />poles or other smaller structures. While the City would not likely object to an unobtrusive <br />antenna array, the equipment structure again becomes intrusive. Limiting the definition <br />to public utility structures over fifty feet in height would eliminate this concern. Finally, the <br />ground- mounted equipment structure is more massive than many of the other utility boxes <br />currently in place. We would recommend that all such structures be required to meet all <br />building setbacks, with the exception for an allowable rear yard encroachment similar to <br />the City's current accessory building regulations. <br />Page 31 <br />5775 WAYZATA BOULEVARD, DUIS PARK, MINNESOTA 5541 6 <br />PHONE 6 12-595-9636 FAX 612-595-9837 <br />