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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSeptember 17, 2009 0 ~NDbVE~ 1685 CROSSTOWN BOULEVARD N.W. . ANDOVER, MINNESOTA 55304 . (763) 755-5100 FAX (763) 755-8923 . WWW.CI.ANDOVER.MN.US PARK AND RECREATION COMMISSION MEETING - SEPTEMBER 17,2009 MINUTES The Regular Bi-Monthly Meeting of the Andover Park and Recreation Commission was called to order by Chair Butler on September 17, 2009, 7:30 p.m., at the Andover City Hall, 1685 Crosstown Boulevard NW, Andover, Minnesota. Commissioners Present: Chair Ted Butler, Bill Hupp, Tony Kowalewski, Vice Chair Jim Lindahl, Mark Miskowiec, Shan Ramnath and Shaun Van Vark. Commissioners Absent: None. Also Present: Assistant Public Works Director, Todd Haas. 0 OATH OF OFFICE Chair Butler swore in Shaun Van Vark as Commissioner of the Park and Recreation Commission. RESIDENT FORUM There were no comments at this time. Motion by Kowalewski, seconded by Lindahl, to close the resident forum. Motion carried on a 7-ayes, O-nays, O-absent vote. APPROVAL OF MINUTES There were no changes. Motion by Lindahl, seconded by Miskowicz, to approve the July 16,2009 Park Commission minutes as presented. Motion carried on a 5-ayes, O-nays, 2 present (Hupp, Van Vark), O-absent vote. There were no changes. 0 Motion by Hupp, seconded by Kowalewski, to approve the August 20, 2009 Park Commission minutes as presented. Motion carried on a 5-ayes, O-nays, 2 present (Ramnath, Van Vark), O-absent vote. Regular Andover Park & Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes - September 17, 2009 0 Page 2 CONSIDER COMMUNITY GARDEN PLOTS IN PARK AREAS, CONT. Mr. Haas explained that this item is in regard to considering community garden plots in City park areas. Mr. Haas updated the Commission on the City Council direction. REVIEW REQUEST FOR CUPIT-MOBILE USAlPRAIRIE KNOLL PARK Mr. Haas explained that this item is in regard to reviewing a request for a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) from T-Mobile USA to replace and utilize one of the existing athletic field lights at Prairie Knoll Park as a telecommunications antenna facility. Chair Butler asked for clarification on the building. Mr. Haas stated there was a drawing in the packet and they were asking for the same fayade as the other building and they are also asking for sod to be installed instead of seed for restoration of the area. Commissioner Hupp asked how tall the structure was. Mr. Haas stated the building will be about ten to twelve feet tall. 0 Commissioner Hupp asked ifthere were plans for screening because he thought that would be a concern for him. He thought it should be a requirement to compliment the community. Mr. Haas indicated that could be added to the motion as a recommendation. Commissioner Hupp stated another concern was safety with the electromagnetic waves. Chair Butler indicated they will discuss this later but should review the building first. Commissioner Hupp indicated he would like to have a nicer looking building because the area is nice and he would want it to match the area. Commissioner Miskowiec asked ifthe easement is already in the park or would they be losing park space. Mr. Haas stated they would include the space needed for the building and the drive access as a part of the lease agreement. Commissioner Hupp asked ifthere was consideration of placing this on 148th Lane and Prairie Road, free standing, by the other Northern Natural Gas utility buildings away from the park. Mr. Haas stated they were looking at blending this into the park so it does not look like it is separate from the park area. Commissioner Lindahl agreed with Commission Hupp on looking at another site in the area for placement ofthe antenna. He thought ifthey were looking at a pole in the park he thought it would be better by the skating rink and sliding hill to provide additional 0 light. Regular Andover Park & Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes - September 17, 2009 0 Page 3 Chair Butler asked how much revenue would be generated in the park by placing the antenna in the parle Mr. Haas stated he was not sure but the funds would remain in the park for future improvements and possible park maintenance. Chair Butler stated he was not ecstatic about having antenna in parks but he also looked at the potential for revenue in the park for improvements. Mr. Jim Linehan, 665-1481h Lane, stated the tower would be in direct eyesight from his front window. He stated he has driven around looking at towers and they are not pretty. He also thought the building looked very cheap. He also noted on existing buildings he has seen there is still equipment on the outside ofthe building, which clutters it up. Mr. Linehan stated he was concerned with safety of the poles and an article that indicated the poles can fall down in high winds or even normal winds. He was also concerned about the radiation emitted from the antenna. He did not think they needed this in that neighborhood. He thought it would be better in some industrial park where kids will not be. Ms. Cindy Heilman, nO-1481h Lane, stated she was not so concerned about the aesthetics because the tree line will shield that but her concern was the placement of the pole from her house. It is recommended to put it five hundred feet from residential homes and it 0 would be two hundred feet from her home. She did not think it was worth the safety of children to place a cell tower in the park. Mr. Marty Heilman, nO-1481h Lane, stated he talked to Mr. Jim Dickinson, City Administrator, about the tower and was not really concerned about the tower until he talked to Mr. Linehan. He stated the reply he received from Mr. Dickinson was the City will be making money on this deal. He understood the City wanting to make money because of the economy but he did not think this was the place to place a cell tower. Chair Butler thanked the residents for coming to the meeting. He asked Mr. Haas for clarification ofthe setback of the tower. Commissioner Hupp read from the staff report the setback requirements. Commissioner Ramnath explained the distances around the tower and suggested they could move the pole to the other side ofthe football field, closer to Prairie Road and to provide the residents more of a setback from the tower. Chair Butler stated as far as the aesthetics of the building, he understood the residents not wanting this and would suggest staff work with T-Mobil on thebuilding and making it look nicer. He also could not find any reports on the negative health aspects from electromagnetic fields. He stated there are some anecdotal things out there but he was not sure they could rely on that information if a study was not done. He stated as far as a 0 tower falling they have concerns about that with any tall stmcture and thought the City Staff would make sure safety came first. Regular Andover Park & Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes - September 17, 2009 0 Page 4 Commissioner Ramnath stated he did some quick research online and radio frequency is something they encounter every day. He stated the amount of power that is put out is minimal. He thought T-Mobil would need to do something to make the building more aesthetically pleasing to the eye. He understood the safety and aesthetic concerns but was also providing infrastructure for the City, County and area residents. Commissioner Hupp stated the parks are in the City for children to use and he thought they should be safe for them. This park is heavily used and with that kind of usage and the amount of kids he thought it would be better to find another place to put this that would not be used as much or noticed. He also understood the revenue that will be generated by this. He stated he cannot comment on the safety because he did not have enough information to comment on it. Commissioner Miskowiec stated he would not want to have to look at the tower. He stated he would like to see the City using economic advantage from that and place it five hundred feet from the residents. COn1missioner Kowalewski stated he has a concern with the safety because he has known a person that has died from brain cancer while working as a line operator for General Electric. He thought they could find a better suitable place other than a park for this. 0 Commissioner Van Vark stated he was not aware of all the rules, regulations or charters of the City but he did not think the City needed to generate profit from allowing a cell tower in a park. He thought ifthis was approved, there will be more offers and what will the City do then. He stated as far as the health concerns he agreed even though he did not find anything to support the concerns but did not want to find out the hard way. Commissioner Lindahl stated the primary thing, the aesthetics is a big deal, the location is not the best and would be more willing to look at a better location in the park, possibly by the other utility companies. He stated in regards to the safety of radiation, he did not think the studies were out there in regards to this and he thought the kids at the park was random time spent there and would not really affect them. He thought the signals were more horizontal and did not bounce down. He would like to see ifT-Mobil would consider another place in the park. Chair Butler stated telecommunications are part of their infrastructure and they need to face that. He was concerned more about the aesthetics more than the electromagnetic radiation because he has not seen any research studies out there to support the negative. He did not know why they were recommending going outside of the five hundred foot recommendation. He supported adding to the aesthetics of the building and screening. He stated this is revenue for the City and could be beneficial to the City because ofthis. 0 Mr. Linehan stated in one of the articles he has, the waves do go out horizontally but some also do drop down. He stated with the tower outside of his home he will be Regular Andover Park & Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes - September 17, 2009 0 Page 5 exposed to this daily and that was a concern of his. He asked if the Commission would want this in their front yard. He did understand this will generate revenue but he did not want to be a guinea pig because there is not any research out there. Ms. Heilman stated she would urge the City to look for another place to place the tower because of the five hundred feet. She suggested they do their homework and see ifthere were other places this tower could be placed in the City. Commissioner Kowalewski wondered why they needed to have the tower so close to residential properties. Mr. Haas suspected the area T-Mobil is looking at is a dead zone and that is why they want to place a tower in the park. Mr. Heilman stated he listened to the Commission speak and how it will benefit the City. He understood the Commission cared about the park but after talking to Jim Dickinson he was concerned the only thing the City was concerned about was the revenue generated from that. He stated the majority ofthe Commission is concerned for the safety and citizens and not the money to be generated. He believed money is not the issue for everything. Motion by Lindahl, seconded by Ramnath, to defer recommendation and request additional information other locations in the park or at least request clarification as to 0 why this location was selected for the tower. Further Discussion Commissioner Miskowiec asked if they could also get information from T-Mobile on technical parameters for the tower and why it needed to be in the park. Commissioner Hupp stated he would agree with the motion because he would like to get more information as to placement, safety and reasoning for placement along with possible landscaping. He asked if this could be an amendment to the motion. Commissioner Lindahl did not think landscaping mattered at this time and could be added later or mandated. Motion carried on a 7 -ayes, O-nays, O-absent vote. UPDATE OF SOPHIE'S PARK Mr. Haas explained that this is an update of Sophie's Park in regards to maintaining and mowing the park. Mr. Haas updated the Commission. 0 Regular Andover Park & Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes - September 17, 2009 0 Page 6 UPDATE OF 2010-2014 PARKS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN Mr. Haas explained that this item is in regard to the question that was raised about what changed on the fund balance report between the two Park Commission meetings. Mr. Haas reviewed the information with the Commission and indicated ifthere were any more questions to contact Mr. Lee Brezinka in the Finance Department. REVIEW OUTSTANDING ITEMS Mr. Haas reviewed outstanding items. CHAIR'S REPORT Commissioner Kowalewski stated Friday night Andover will be playing football at home and will be the game ofthe week so there will be media there. He asked the residents to come out and support the team. Commissioner Lindahl welcomed Commissioner Van Vark to the Commission. Chair Butler also welcomed Commissioner Van Vark to the Commission. He also 0 wanted to mention that it is getting dark earlier and to drive carefully by the parks and slow down. ADJOURNMENT OF REGULAR MEETING Motion by Commissioner Hupp, seconded by Commissioner Lindahl, to adjourn the regular meeting at 9:00 p.m. Motion carried on a 7-ayes, O-nays, Q-absent vote. Respectfully Submitted, Susan Osbeck, Recording Secretary TimeSaver Off Site Secretarial, Inc. 0