HomeMy WebLinkAboutPLAN COMMISSION - 02/23/2011 - PLAN COMMISSION MINUTES Elk Grove Village
Plan Commission Minutes
February 23, 2011
Present: P. Ayers
D. Paliganoff
T. Thompson
J. Meyers
J. Glass
C. Henrici
F. Geinosky
E. Hauser
Absent: D. Sokolowski
Staff: M. Roan, Deputy Village Manager
S. Trudan, Deputy Director of Community Development
Petitioner: D. Trost, Site Acquisition Consultants
B. Aboujaude, Verizon Wireless RF Engineer
D. Miller, Musco Lighting
B. Lichtenberger, School District 214
M. Biesiada, Attorney for Verizon Wireless
Chairman Glass called the meeting to order at 7:07 p.m.
Item 1: January 12,2011 Meeting Minutes
Secretary Geinosky noted a typographic correction. With the correction being noted, Commissioner
Henrici moved to approve the minutes. Commissioner Paliganoff seconded the motion. Upon voting
(Hauser, Meyers, Henrici, Geinosky, Glass, Paliganoff, Ayers, Thompson, AYES, Sokolowski,
ABSENT) the motion carried.
Item 2: 500 W. Elk Grove Boulevard— Special Use
Chairman Glass read the legal notice into the record and acknowledged that the Public Hearing notices
were mailed to neighbors and properly published in the Daily Herald. Chairman Glass noted that the
property was also properly signed.
M. Roan noted that Verizon was only seeking approval for one 100' light tower for cellular purposes
and that School District 214 was seeking approval for two (2) 80' light standards and one (1) 80' light
standard with the possibility of extending its height to 100' should another cellular carrier express
interest.
Secretary Geinosky swore in the petitioners.
D. Trost identified himself as the consultant who has been hired to represent Verizon Wireless.
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D. Trost stated that Verizon Wireless was seeking a solution for their wireless plan to assist with filling
in a dead zone within their service area.
D. Trost noted that Verizon was seeking permission to construct a cellular tower within a search ring
that encompassed Lions Park(near Elk Grove Boulevard and Rev. Morrison Boulevard). Co-location
on the existing cellular tower at Lions Park was denied by the Elk Grove Park District due to space
constraints associated with the required equipment shelter.
Other Village "Preferred Locations," such as Alexian Brothers, Pratt water tower, Elk Grove Public
Works facility on Landmeier, Oakton Fire Station, and Northwest Point, were deemed not feasible due
to their distance away from the search ring.
The replacement of the light standards around the football field at Elk Grove High School was deemed
the best solution by Verizon's RF engineer, as this would also correspond with the school district's
desire to replace their lighting system. As part of the High School's lighting proposal, they would be
moving from a six(6) light system to a more efficient four(4) light system.
D. Trost noted that the proposal provides for the construction of a twelve-foot(12') by forty-foot (40')
equipment shelter. The shelter would house Verizon's equipment, emergency generator, and provide
for a concession stand to be used by the High School. In addition, the proposed cellular tower would
provide for the construction of a stealth tower that would conceal Verizon's communication antenna
within the tower. Other towers provide for the antenna to be located on a platform around the outside
of the tower.
D. Trost stated that since the equipment shelter is located in the Salt Creek floodplain, Verizon is
working with the Village to identify a solution for compensatory storage. The petitioner stated that
any approval would be contingent upon Verizon resolving the compensatory storage requirement with
the Village.
D. Trost ended his presentation by stating that approval of this Special Use would be a good benefit to
Verizon Wireless subscribers since it will enhance their service area, and would also benefit District
214 with financial concessions.
Commissioner Hauser asked if the proposed cellular would be a stealth monopole. D. Trost stated that
the proposed tower would be a stealth monopole with all of Verizon's necessary cellular antennas
located within the light standard.
Commissioner Hauser asked the petitioner how they determined the need for 100'. D. Trost stated that
since the High School would be installing their new lighting system at 80', the extra twenty feet (20')
was need to allow Verizon to install their equipment inside the stealth monopole.
Commissioner Hauser asked the petitioner why they did not install their equipment at 901 Wellington.
M. Roan stated that the Village does not have the space to accommodate the petitioner's equipment
shelter.
Commissioner Hauser asked how the school's new, taller lights would not overspill into the
neighboring residential homes. D. Miller of Musco Lighting, District 214's lighting contractor, stated
that 70% of the light produced by the new system would be directed down onto the field. As a result,
this will lessen the overspill of light into the neighboring residential homes. At the existing 60'height,
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the lights need to be directed upward. With this configuration, more lighting spills onto the
neighboring residential properties.
Commissioner Hauser asked if the District considered putting shades on the existing lights. D. Miller
stated that the new system is extremely more energy efficient and a much better system than what's
currently in place.
Commissioner Hauser read the Village Code pertaining to lighting standards and asked if they would
comply. D. Miller stated that they are within a Yz foot candle what the Code allows. B. Lichtenberger
of School District 214 stated that the Village would have the photometric plans.
Commissioner Hauser asked the petitioner if they had considered contacting the Forest Preserve
District. D. Trost stated that the Forest Preserve District has indicated that they want nothing to do
with cellular towers within their forest preserves.
Commission Hauser asked if there was any chance of radioactive exposure as the result of the new
cellular towers. D. Trost noted that there are many types of radiation exposure. He stated that Verizon
operates within the FCC's regulations for the frequency to be safe. Commissioner Hauser asked if the
petitioner could provide documentation stating that there would be no radiation exposure. D. Trost
stated that the Commissioner was making an extremely broad request that they could not meet.
Commissioner Hauser asked of the length of the contract between Verizon and the school district. D.
Trost stated that the contract is for 25 years. Commissioner Hauser asked what would happen if
Verizon terminated the lease. M. Biesiada, the attorney representing Verizon, stated that the length of
the contract would be 25 years, and if Verizon should terminate the agreement the ownership of the
equipment would be transferred to the school district.
Commissioner Meyers asked if there were any complaints from the neighbors pertaining to the lighting
system. B. Lichtenberger, of School District 214, stated that the current lights have been in place for
25 years and that he was unaware of any complaints from neighboring homeowners.
Commissioner Henrici asked what the fuel source was for the generator. D. Trost stated that it was a
diesel generator inside the building with a self contained, double walled tank.
Secretary Geinosky asked if any vendors on the pole being removed. D. Trost stated that there were
none.
Secretary Geinosky noted that the Village typically requires a pole that can accommodate four carriers.
D. Trost noted that with the stealth nature of the pole, there are no outside platforms to place
communication equipment. As such, there is only a limited amount of space inside the tower. Verizon
requires the first two (2) sections of the tower—one for their voice communication and the other for
their data communication. These two sections take up the 100' and 90' sections of the tower. With the
school installing their lights at the 80' section, the only space left would be at 70'which is too low for
another carrier. D. Trost noted that this is why a request was being made to accommodate a second
100'tower.
Commissioner Thompson stated that he did not have any additional questions at this time.
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Commissioner Ayers noted that he has a brother in Phoenix who works on these types of towers. He
asked him about radiation and was advised that they are told to work on the backside of the antennas
due to possible radiation exposure.
B. Aboujaude, Verizon's RF engineer, stated that there is logic behind that statement. He noted that
the energy produced by the antenna transmits forward. That is also why cellular antennas are located
at the height they are at. Once you are on the ground and away from the antenna that is up in the air,
the effects are minimal.
Commissioner Ayers inquired about the radiation emitted from the cellular phones. B. Aboujaude
noted that the further you are away from an antenna, the more energy that is produced by the cellular
phone. This is another reason for adding cellular antenna to the Verizon network.
Commissioner Ayers asked if the people sitting in the stands watching a football game would be
affected by the antennas. B. Aboujaude stated that they would not.
Commissioner Paliganoff asked if there was going to be a flag attached to the pole. D. Trost stated
that there was no flag associated with the proposed 100' light standard.
There being no further questions or comments, Commissioner Henrici moved to recommend approval
of the Special Use petition for Verizon Wireless for property located at 500 W. Elk Grove Boulevard
to allow for the construction of two (2) 100' light standards to also be used for cellular communications
purposes and two (2) 80' light standards for lighting purposes of the Elk Grove High School's athletic
field. Commissioner Meyers seconded the motion.
Upon voting (Hauser, Meyers, Henrici, Geinosky, Glass, Paliganoff, Ayers,Thompson, AYES,
Sokolowski, ABSENT) the motion carried.
Item 3: Adjournment
Secretary Geinosky motioned to adjourn the meeting and Commissioner Henrici seconded the motion.
Upon voting (Hauser, Meyers, Henrici, Geinosky, Glass, Paliganoff, Ayers, Thompson, AYES,
Sokolowski, ABSENT)the motion carried.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:56 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Matthew Roan
Deputy Village Manager
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