08-21-1996 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Item 4.4 • • Planning Division Memorandum • To: Mayor,Council,and Manager Fr..: Gen Markegard,AJCP,Associate Planner 4t Date: April 9, 1996 Subject: Proposed 90 Day Tower Moratorium Baekgrooad Until recently, wireless telepbooe service was provided in Bloomington by oily two federally homed providers,US west New Vector Group and ATT wireless(who bought ort Cellular one). In 1995,the Federal Commuoications Commission (FCC) widened the wireless teleconsmonications playing field by selling two additional lionises in new frequaxy ranges (netting S7 billion dollars nationwide). For this area,those Bonuses vont purchased by Sprint Spectrum and American Portable Telecomaa(APT). Beth Sprint and APT will provide the next generation digital wireless services commonly referred to as PCS (Personal Conmu nicatian Services). The FCC may sell additional PCS licenses in the future. A third new wireless telecomminicaticas provider is OneComm, who entered the mix by purchasing several of Motorola's Specialized Mobilized Radio (SMR)licenses and then obtaining FCC approval to attach their enhanced system(ESMR)to the land line telephone network The expansion of the wireless telecommunications industry along with its recent technological . improvements will have many positive effects on Bloomington's residents, including lower rates, higher quality seryice, higher security, and the ability to transmit data and video signals from remote locations. Unfortunately,the positive aspects of this new technology will be accompanied by a proliferation of new cormniunications towers. Each of the three new wireless telecommunication providers will need to set up its own antenna and tower infrastructire in the near fixture. The two existing providers will also=require additional tower sites as their systems continue to evolve. Even more towers will be needed as the FCC auctions additional licenses to new providers. Local goverrunents will need to work closely with the whereas telecommunications industry to provide high quality service while muiuiuzirig the negative impacts of nnnernus comuumication towers. Federal Telecommunications Act Another meat telecommunicatioas dew-lomat is the passage of the Federal Telecommunication Act. The Act originally included language that would override a municipality's zoning controls over telecornnamioatioos towers. This language was removed shortly before passage,however,and the Act now trade, "Etcept as provided(herein), nothing in this acs shall limit or affect the authority of a State or local government or instrumentality thereof over decisions regarding the placement, construction, and modrfieation of personal wireless service facilities." The Act deer place three important limitations on local : 1)cities may not"unreasonably discriminate among providers of f mcOcgally equivalent services", 2) cities may not"prohibit or have the effect of prohibiting the provision of personal wireless services", and 3) cities may not regulate personal wireless services "on the basis of the environmental effects of radio frequency emissions to the extent that such facilities comply with the (FCC's) regulations concerning such emissions." • v-i