01/28/1991 Council Minutes (2) - Laserfiche WebLink

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1 COUNCIL MEETING JANUARY 28, 1991 Council Member Bohjanen moved to take action on Resolution No. 09 - 91 and have the City Administrator contact Commissioner Langfeld to determine if the resolution can be amended to include a specific time period. Council Member Reinert seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously. Mr. Schumacher said he would also contract the other three City Administrator's to see what their thinking is on this matter. Mr. Cheesebrough said he would take the matter to Superintendent McClellan. PLANNER'S REPORT Conditional Use Permit, WCCO Tower, Design Review Board (DRB) No. 90 - 58 Mr. Miller explained that the public hearing on the request by Midwest Cable and Satellite, Inc. was held December 20, 1990. The public hearing was closed and the applicant was requested to provide additional information regarding the safety of the doppler radar and staff was asked to prepare a resolution approving the request for the Conditional Use Permit. Resolution No. 10 - 91 has been prepared approving the Conditional Use Permit. The resolution lists nine (9) reasons for the approval as outlined by the DRB. Mr. Jim Christianson, attorney for Midwest Cable and Satellite, Inc. was present along with Mr. John Seman and Skip Erickson. The operation of the doppler radar beam was outlined. It was noted that the purpose of the installation was to pick up certain weather information from cloud formations. Therefore, the radar beam is never meant to hit the ground. If a person were to be hit by the beam, the intensity would be about the same as standing next to a micro wave oven. The unit is never operated unless there is a storm system in the area. A person would have to get inside the dome of the doppler and spin around with the unit in order to receive a significant health impact. Mr. Al Stromen, 6065 Holly Drive asked why the equipment could not be located on the ground and wires run up the tower. Mr. Erickson explained that the main radar dish is inside the dome. There are also dishes located on the outside of the tower. These dishes must be elevated so that they can look over trees, hills, etc. Mr. Erickson also noted that if the radar dishes were located on the ground, there would be a good chance of beaming into where people live. It is safer to have the radar dishes elevated. Mr. Erickson noted that the three (3) dishes located on the tower are satellite feeds from CBC, WCCO and Cable. Everything picked up by these radar dishes are beamed to Minneapolis. Everything coming to WCCO from the middle east is coming off of these radar dishes. After further discussion Council Member Bohjanen moved to approve PAGE 2 218