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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPLAN COMMISSION - 04/19/2000 - LANDMEIER/HIGGINS/TOUHY/NEXTEL ELK GROVE VILLAGE Plan Commission Minutes April 19,2000 Present: J. Glass, Chairman P. Ayers J. Meyers D. Paliganoff D. Sokolowski T. Thompson K. Zizzo Absent: F. Geinosky, Secretary C. Henrici Staff: P. Vadopalas,Assistant to the Village Manager Petitioners: Anthony Petropoulos, General Counsel, Gullo International Drew Terry, Zoning Director,Nextel Communications Chairman Glass called the meeting to order at 8:05 p.m. Item 1: Annroval of Minutes Commissioner Ayers moved, and Commissioner Thompson seconded the motion to approve the minutes of the February 21 minutes. Upon voting,(Glass, Ayers, Meyers, Paliganoff, Sokolowski, Thompson, Zizzo, AYES, Geinosky, Henrici,ABSENT)the motion carried. Item 2: Gullo Landscane Plan—Landmeier.Hieeins. &Toohv Chairman Glass stated the Plan Commission would consider a Landscape Plan submitted by John and Maria Gullo for the proposed annexation and development of property located at Landmeier, Higgins, and Touhy. Commissioner Paliganoff swore in the petitioner. A. Petropoulos presented the landscape plan that was submitted to the Village and approved by staff ELS submitted. Discussion ensued on the species of plantings proposed for the site and the lack of a key noting which plants would be planted where on the site. Commissioner Ayers questioned why specific plant locations were not keyed to specific species of plantings. Petropoulos stated that the landscape plan depicts specific categories of plantings (trees, shrubs, flowers) and includes a legend with species within those categories. Commissioner Ayers stated he would like to have the plan show where specific species would be planted. Petropoulos responded the plan could be revised to show locations of each species. There being no further objections to the landscape plan, Commissioner Ayers moved to recommend approval of the Landscape Plan dated March 9, 2000 subject to the addition of a key identifying species of plantings. Commissioner Paliganoff seconded the motion. Upon voting, (Glass,Ayers,Meyers, Paliganoff, Sokolowski, Thompson,Zizzo, AYL'S, Geinosky,Henrici, ABSENT)the motion carried. Item 3: Nextel Special Use Petition—570 E. Higgins Road Chairman Glass read the petition into the record, and explained Nextel Communications is petitioning the Village for a Special Use Permit to allow the extension of an existing chimney on a building at 570 E. Higgins Road and mount an array of nine cellular antennae. Chairman Glass stated he is employed by a real estate leasing company that has contracts with Nextel Communications,though those contracts are not in the State of Illinois. Chairman Glass stated he would not vote on this petition,but would like to participate in the hearing if the Commission had no objections. The Commissioners communicated no objections. Commissioner Zizzo stated she is employed by a competing telecommunications company and will also not vote on this petition,but would like to participate in the hearing if the Commission had no objections. The Commissioners communicated no objections. Chairman Glass asked the petitioner to proceed. Drew Terry introduced himself as a zoning specialist for Nextel Communications and passed out photos of the proposed construction. Nextel proposes to mount nine panel antennae on the chimney of a building located at 570 E. Higgins Road. The chimney is proposed to be increased in height by 10 feet to a total height of 43 feet. The antennae would be painted to match the chimney's brick. An 11-foot by 20-foot equipment shelter would be constructed in the basement of the building. Terry noted an affidavit was included in Nextel's petition permitting them to proceed with this proposal and authorizing them to represent the property owner. Terry explained that Nextel's coverage along the section of Higgins Road that passes through Busse Woods needs improvement and a number of other possible sites in the area were pursued. There are no public properties in this area and Nextel was unable to come to agreements with several other private property owners. Commissioner Thompson asked the petitioner to explain Nextel's responsibility should their transmissions cause interference for surrounding property owners or telecommunications customers. Terry stated Nextel is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission and would be required to correct any interference or lose its license. Chairman Glass asked how often interference is caused by cellular antenna arrays, and noted he had no knowledge of this occurring in his two years in the industry. Terry responded Nextel's engineers conduct studies to determine if there is any potential for interference before antennae are put in service. Commissioner Thompson noted an existing Ameritech monopole is located near the site and asked if Nextel had considered co-locating on their monopole. Terry responded Nextel has not been successful in past dealings with Ameritech which has generally not been cooperative in assisting Nextel in acquiring new sites. Commissioner Sokolowski asked if Nextel considered the Sheraton Suites on Arlington Heights Road. Terry stated Nextel has a site at 2355 S. Arlington Heights Road that would be too close to that location. Commissioner Sokolowski asked if the chimney would be reinforced as part of the proposed construction. Terry stated the chimney would be capped and the extension would be reinforced. Commissioner Sokolowski asked what will happen if Nextel ceases operation at this location. Terry responded Nextel would remove the antenna array and restore the chimney to its current height. Terry stated that issue is part of the lease agreement with the property owner. Commissioner Sokolowski asked what Nextel considers the life expectancy of this location to be. Terry stated approximately 25 years if not longer. Based on the amount of industrial customers, truck traffic, and proximity to the airport, this site would be active indefinitely. Commissioner Ayers asked if office-building sites along Martingale Road were considered. Terry responded Nextel has an antenna site on the Harris Bank building near Woodfield, and is considering a location near Higgins and Martingale. Neither would adequately serve the east half of Higgins traversing Busse Woods. Commissioner Ayers noted this location will be in demand by other telecommunication companies in the future and suggested a monopole might be considered that could site several companies' antennae. Chairman Glass stated that any predictions about future demand for a specific location could not be accurate,though this location is a logical target for service needs through Busse Woods. Commissioner Ayers asked if the equipment shelter would be located within the building. Terry responded it would be located in the basement,and that permission has been granted to access the shelter for maintenance. Commissioner Paliganoff noted this location is"Disfavored" according to the Village's antenna siting policy, and expressed concerns about setting a precedent by approving this site. Commissioner Paliganoff stated the proposed design is not attractive, and questioned why Nextel could not provide a five-year build out plan as required by the siting policy. Terry stated that the pace of growth of the industry is such that demand cannot be accurately predicted five years into the future. Terry stated demand for their service is outpacing their ability to construct additional sites and Nextel is following demand and will seek locations based on usage. Commissioner Zizzo noted the height of 40 feet is low in comparison to past petitions and asked the petitioner to explain. Terry stated Nextel would prefer to locate the array at 80-feet,but due to constraints of surrounding buildings,40 feet will be adequate to service Busse Woods and provide some supplemental support to surrounding Nextel sites. Commissioner Zizzo asked if this is then a temporary site until an ideal location is acquired. Terry stated the proposed site is planned for long term service and will suit Nextel's needs. Commissioner Meyers stated the proposed construction is unsightly, detracts from the appearance of the building, and approval of this proposal would set a poor precedent for future carriers. Commissioner Meyers asked why this plan was not designed to better incorporate the antenna array into the design of the building. Terry responded a"stealth"site does not have the capacity of a traditional antenna array because three antenna panels are used instead of nine,meaning more sites would be needed to attain the equivalent capacity. Commissioner Meyers asked why the buildings at Northwest Point office park were not considered as potential sites. Terry responded those sites were pursued,but Nextel could not come to agreement on the terms of a lease. Commissioner Meyers asked why Route 53 was not considered. Terry responded safety, access, and security issues related to the equipment shelter preclude any construction on Route 53. Chairman Glass explained to the audience the advisory role of the Plan Commission and the procedures followed for public hearings, and recessed the meeting at 8:50 p.m. for a ten-minute break. Chairman Glass reconvened the hearing at 9:00 and opened for comments from the audience. Chris Huege introduced himself as an employee of the proposed building's owners. Mr. Huege addressed the possibility of locating multiple carriers on the subject building, and stated the basement only has space for one equipment shelter. He expressed the building owners' desire to cooperate with the Village and assure an acceptable design for the antennae. Chairman Glass asked if the owners have the right of architectural approval in their proposed lease with Nextel. Mr.Huege did not know if the owners have any right of review in the lease. Terry stated the owners received a site plan with the lease, and while they have agreed to this proposal,Nextel will makes any changes required by the Village. Bill Shannon,313 E.Higgins Road, stated he lives across from the subject property and works in a neighboring building. Mr. Shannon asked how wide the proposed antenna array would be. Terry stated it would be approximately six feet wide. Chairman Glass stated the telecommunications industry is booming and the Village can expect numerous future applications. He stated that now is the time to establish design requirements to make such facilities compatible with the buildings they are mounted on. Chairman Glass stated structures need to be adapted properly and adequately camouflaged to minimize impacts on surrounding property owners. Terry asked if the Plan Commission would consider a bell tower type of construction at this location. Chairman Glass responded if the antenna panels are enclosed in a structure that is compatible with the building and acceptable to the owners. There being no further comments from the audience, Chairman Glass stated the Plan Commission would take the matter under advisement and would notify all present of any future hearings on the matter. Chairman Glass adjourned the hearing at 9:15 p.m. Item 4: Nextel Special Use Permit— 1751 Greenleaf Avenue Chairman Glass called the meeting to order at 9:30 p.m. Chairman Glass stated he is employed by a real estate leasing company that has contracts with Nextel communications, though those contracts are not in the State of Illinois. Chairman Glass stated he would not vote on this petition, but would like to participate in the hearing if the Commission had no objections. The Commissioners communicated no objections. Commissioner Zizzo stated she is employed by a compering telecommunications company and will also not vote on this petition,but would like to participate in the hearing if the Commission had no objections. The Commissioners communicated no objections. Terry stated Nextel Communications is proposing to lease space on Village-owned property at 1751 Greenleaf Avenue for the purpose of constructing a 103-foot monopole and 11-foot by 20-foot equipment shelter. A total of nine Nextel antenna panels would be mounted at 100-feet. In addition, Northwest Central Dispatch(NWCDS)will mount their antennae on the monopole at an elevation of 65-feet, and a whip antenna on the top of the monopole. The proposed monopole could include two additional carriers in the future. Terry noted the site is zoned I-2 Industrial and;ncludes an existing Ameritech monopole. Chairman Glass asked how Nextel timed this project to coordinate with NWCDS. Terry stated the Village Manager's Office apprised Nextel of NWCDS' needs,put the two in contact with each other, and helped coordinate this site layout. Commissioner Meyers asked for explanation on the equipment to be mounted at the very top of the monopole. Terry stated a NWCDS whip antenna and a lightning rod would be located at the very top. Commissioner Paliganoff asked if each of the comments raised by the Department of Engineering and Community Development were resolved. Vadopalas responded some engineering items would need to be resolved in final engineering. Chairman Glass opened the hearing to comments from the audience. There were no comments. Chairman Glass asked how long the proposed lease on this property would be. Vadopalas stated 25 years. Chairman Glass stated if the payment terms have been negotiated. Vadopalas responded the Village and petitioner are in general agreement about the lease terms but have yet to commit to a formal agreement. Chairman Glass asked how long it would take to construct the monopole and shelter. Terry responded approximately one-and-a-half to two months. Commissioner Meyers moved, and Commissioner Thompson seconded the motion to recommend approval of a Special Use Permit for Nextel Communications to construct a monopole and equipment shelter on Village property at 1751 Greenleaf Avenue. Upon voting, (Ayers,Meyers,Paliganoff, Sokolowski,Thompson,AYES, Glass,Zizzo, ABSTAIN, Geinosky,Henrici, ABSENT) the motion carried. The meeting was adjourned at 10:50 p.m. Resp tfully ubmitted, / Peter J. Va dopal Zr Assistant to the Village Manager C: President and Board of Trustees, Chairman and Members of the Plan Commission, Chairman and Members—ZBA,Village Clerk(2), Village Manager,Assistant Village Manager, Assistant to the Village Manager, Administrative Intem,Director of Engineering/Community Development,Director of Public Works,Fire Chief, Deputy Fire Chief(2), Assistant Fire Chief, Village Attorney.