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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPLAN COMMISSION - 10/01/1997 - CELLULAR ONE ELK GROVE VILLAGE Plan Conunission Minutes October I, 1997 8:00 p.m. Present: J. Glass,Chairman F. Geinosky, Secretary P. Ayers R. Guzzardi D. Paliganoff D. Sokolowski K. Zizzo Absent: C. Henrici J. Meyers Staff: S. Niehaus, Assistant to the Village Manager S.Trudan, Assistant Director of Community Development Petitioners: M. Krezek, FMHC Corporation M. Crandall,Cellular One Item A. Cellular One Special Use Permit Requests Chairman Glass called the meeting to order at 8:05 p.m. and briefly summarized the petition being presented to the Plan Commission. Secretary Geinosky swore in the petitioners. Chairman Glass stated that Cellular One was presenting two locations for consideration under Docket#97-13, 100 Lions Drive and 1141 Hawthorne Drive. It was his preference to discuss the 100 Lions Drive location first due to potential participation from the audience. Michelle Krezek, of FMHC Corporation, introduced herself to the Plan Commission and stated that she was employed by Cellular One as a site location consultant. Krezek explained that Cellular One was seeking the placement of a wireless telecommunications facility in central Elk Grove in response to customer complaints regarding loss of service in the area of Arlington Heights Road and Busse Woods. Based on these complaints, Cellular One's engineering staff determined that a new macro-cell antenna structure was required in the vicinity of Lions Park. Krezek stated that Cellular One was proposing to remove an existing 60 foot light pole from Lions Park and replace it with a 100 foot pole which would contain their antennas and the Park District's lights. The antennas would be installed at a height of 95 feet. The lights would remain at their existing height of 60 feet Krezek also stated that a 14'x 26'equipment shelter would be constructed at the base of the pole. The equipment shelter would be fenced and screened at the direction of the Village and the Park District. Chairman Glass questioned as to the difference between micro and macro-cells. Mike Crandall of Cellular One explained that micro-cells tend to be placed at a lower height (30 to 40)feet and are used to address very specific service problems. Macro-cells are typically placed between 75 and 100 feet,and are generally utilized for a wider service area. Commissioner Sokolowski questioned if the petitioners had contacted District 214 regarding the use of Elk Grove High School as an antenna location. Krezek stated that she had contacted District 214 prior to researching the Park District location and had been told that the District had a policy prohibiting the placement of antennas on school property. Commissioner Ayers stated that Cellular One had appeared before the Plan Commission in 1996 and was authorized to place 5 micro-cells at various locations in the Village and questioned whether or not the micro-cells had been installed. Crandall stated that all of the micro-cells had been constructed with the exception of the one located on Plum Grove Road adjacent to the Fox Run Golf Course. Commissioner Ayers questioned as to the benefit of installing one macrocell as opposed to multiple micro-cells. Crandall stated that the utilization of one macrocell would replace the usage of 2 to 5 micro-cells. Commissioner Ayers questioned if Cellular One's antennas operated through line-of-sight transmissions. Crandall confirmed that the antennas operated via line-of-sight. Commissioner Ayers expressed concern over the proposed antenna due to its location in Lions Park. Ayers stated that he would prefer to see Cellular One utilize more micro-cells with directional antennas and/or property located in commercially zoned districts such as the Park'n' Shop at Arlington Heights and Higgins Roads. Commissioner Paliganoff questioned if Cellular One had made any contact with Park District officials regarding the use of their property. Krezek stated that the Park District was aware of their request and had already signed a lease with Cellular One. Commissioner Paliganoff questioned if flooding from Salt Creek would impact the proposed equipment shelter. Krezek stated that Cellular One did not anticipate any adverse impacts due to flooding. Crandall also stated that the shelter would be built on caissons to raise the floor level above the flood level. Commissioner Paliganoff questioned as to how Cellular One would be impacted if they were not able to locate at the proposed site. Krezek stated that Cellular One would continue to provide service in Elk Grove but would probably receive an increasing number of service complaints as their customer base increases. Commissioner Zizzo questioned as to what variations were being requested by Cellular One. Trudan stated that Cellular One was seeking a height variation of 65 feet to allow a 100 foot tower in a residential district where the maximum allowable height was 35 feet. Commissioner Zizzo questioned if Cellular One objected to co-location of another wireless telecommunications provider on their monopole. Krezek stated that Cellular One did not object to co- location. Commissioner Guzzardi questioned if Cellular One had contacted the Cook County Forest Preserve District(CCFPD)to inquire about available sites in Busse Woods. Krezek stated that the CCFPD had been contacted and had informed Cellular One that they did not allow towers or monopoles on their property. Commissioner Ayers questioned as to the wattage of the proposed antennas. Crandall stated that the average telecommunications antenna operates at between 15 to 50 watts. The proposed antennas at 100 Lions Drive would most likely operate at 25 watts. Commissioner Geinosky questioned if the proposed antennas would interfere with any household appliances,radios,televisions,or phones. Crandall stated that none of Cellular One's antennas had ever caused an interference problem for local residents. In addition,Crandall stated that Cellular One would be required to pay for and repair any interference conflicts that it caused or risk losing their FCC license authority. Commissioner Geinosky questioned if the new pole location caused any safety concerns for athletes on the baseball diamond. Krezek stated that the new pole location was actually further removed from the field and was less of a danger than the existing 60 foot pole. In addition, Krezek noted that Cellular One would be installing an asphalt path to their shelter which would enable ambulances to gain quicker access to the field in the event of injury. Commissioner Geinosky questioned as to specific details regarding the equipment shelter construction, fencing and landscaping and whether or not the Park District had expressed any preferences for the site. Gary Buczkowski, Director of Parks and Planning for the Elk Grove Park District, introduced himself to the Plan Commission. Buczkowski stated that the Park District would prefer the following arrangements: • the equipment shelter be constructed to match the existing Park District building on site; • that no fence be installed(to avoid lost balls/objects from athletes);and • that evergreen landscaping for year round screening of the building if possible. Buczkowski stated that the Park District felt that the proposed pole and antenna were a good fit for the Lions Park property due to the current make-up of the park which included year round programming, fireworks, Rotaryfest,and several existing man-made structures on the site. Commissioner Glass questioned whether or not the Park District would have the opportunity to review the proposed landscape plans. Krezek stated that Cellular One would seek approval of the landscape plan from the Park District prior to installing any trees on the property. Commissioner Sokolowski asked the petitioner to describe what the anten nas would look like at the top of the 100 foot pole. Crandall stated that the three(3)antennas would be 10 feet long and would be arranged in a triangular pattern. Chairman Glass opened the public hearing to comments from the audience at 8:55 p.m. Laurie Pottker, 719 Brantwood,questioned if the petitioners had contacted Grove Junior High or any of the local churches about placing their antennas somewhere besides Lions Park. Krezek stated that Cellular One had contacted one of the churches and were advised to not seek placement of the pole on their property. Chairman Glass closed discussion on the 100 Lions Park location and requested the petitioner to proceed with presentation of the 1 141 Hawthorne Lane location at 9:05 p.m. Krezek stated that the proposed location on the Village's water tower was ideal due to Cellular One's ability to utilize an existing structure which was also located on public property. Krezek stated that the proposed site would include the installation of panel antennas on the painters rings of the water tower at a height of 94 feet. An equipment shelter would also be utilized as at the 100 Lions Drive location. Krezek presented a letter to the Plan Commission dated October 1, 1997 which responded to staff comments from the Director of Engineering and Community Development dated September 26, 1997 regarding the location of the equipment shelter. Krezek explained that the letter committed Cellular One to complying with the requests of Village staff. In addition, Krezek stated that Cellular One was planning to construct their building to identically match the Ameritech building on the site, including their use of fencing and landscaping. Commissioner Geinosky questioned how Cellular One's antennas would differ from Ameritech's. Crandall stated that their antennas were generally similar to Ameritech's in size and shape. In addition,they would be painted to match Ameritech's antennas which match the color of the water tower. Commissioner Guzzardi questioned if Cellular One's antennas would be symmetrically aligned with Ameritech's. Crandall stated that the antennas would be installed symmetrically. Chairman Glass opened the public hearing to comments from the audience at 9:15 p.m. Leo LaGesse, 1156 Westminister,questioned if Cellular One's antennas would pose any adverse health impacts or if they would interfere with household appliances. Crandall stated that the antennas were designed to be harmless and did not interfere with residential appliances. Chairman Glass closed the public hearing at 9:25 p.m. Chairman Glass stated that he would entertain separate motions on both antenna requests if the Plan Commission was ready to recommend action on either location. Glass also stated that he would prefer to provide the Park District with some form of landscape plan review for the Lion's Park Location prior to Village approval. Commissioner Geinosky moved,and Commissioner Paliganoff seconded a motion to recommend approval of a special use permit for Cellular One to replace and existing light pole with a 100 foot monopole for both antenna and lighting purposes and to construct a 14 x 26 foot equipment shelter at 100 Lions Drive, subject to the following conditions: • that Cellular One's equipment shelter be built consistent with the existing Park District building on the property; • that Cellular One's equipment shelter have no exterior fencing;and • that the Elk Grove Park District review and approve the landscape plan prior to Village Board approval of the special use. Upon voting,the motion carried by a vote of 4 to 3(Glass,Geinosky, Paliganoff, Sokolowski AYES,Ayers,Guzzardi,Zizzo NAYS, Henrici,Meyers ABSENT). Commissioner Geinosky moved,and Commissioner Guzzardi seconded a motion to recommend approval of a special use permit for Cellular One to install a wireless telecommunications facility and construct a 14 x 26 foot equipment shelter on Village property located at 1 141 Hawthorne Lane,subject to the following conditions: • that Cellular One's equipment shelter be built consistent with the existing Ameritech equipment shelter on the property;and • that Cellular One's landscape screening be consistent with the landscape screening around the Ameritech equipment shelter Upon voting, the motion carried unanimously(Glass, Ayers, Geinosky, Guzzardi, Paliganoff, Sokolowski, Zizzo AYES, Henrici, Meyers ABSENT). Commissioner Ayers moved,and Commissioner Paliganoff seconded a motion to adjourn the meeting. Upon voting,the motion was unanimously approved. Chairman Glass adjourned the meeting at 9:35 p.m. Respectfully submitted, � Ne � Scott R.NW.iehaus Assistant to the Village Manager c: Chairman and Members, Plan Con-mission, President&Board of Trustees, Village Clerk, Village Manager, Assistant Village Manager, Assistant to the Village Manager, Administrative Inter, Dir. of Engineering&Community Development, Dir. of Public Works, Fire Chief, Deputy Fire Chief(2), Assistant Fire Chief, Village Attorney,Chairman and Members,ZBA