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r; <br />r <br />jv. <br />%■ • <br />ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING HELD MAY 20, 1991 <br />(#1)AMENDMENT TO ZONING CODE (ANTENNAS, TOWERS, ETC.) <br />Moos asked if there could be two antennas from different <br />companies on the same water tower. <br />Esterly replied, "Yes, that ii> possible, however, the <br />cellular phone companies prefer not to do that. It is necessary <br />to install filtering devices so the two services do not interfere <br />vfith each other." <br />Bellows referred to Dennis Esterly's comment regarding the <br />companies constructing one large tower and constructing smaller <br />towers as the population increases. She said, "Allowing the <br />construction of one tower within the City of Orono is not going <br />to eradicate a later need for many towers." <br />Johnson stated that one of the issues to be considered is <br />whether or not cellular phones can be categorized as a public <br />utility. <br />Mabusth advised that the City Attorney had rendered an <br />opinion in that regard which stated that cellular phones could <br />not be compared to gas, electric, or phone utilities. <br />Kelley indicated that he would prefer not to amend the Code, <br />but to address any applications for placing such structures <br />within the City of Orono as they are receive.. <br />Cohen indicated that he agreed with Kelley. <br />Mabusth asked the Planning Commission members if they would <br />look favorably on a request to attach an antenna to a water <br />tower, or light standard. <br />It was the consensus of the Planning Commission that they <br />would have no objection to placing antennas on water towers. <br />Johnson asked if it would be possible to have a police radio <br />antenna attached to the same structure as a cellular phone <br />ant jnna. <br />Esterly replied, "There are design and engineering <br />considerations that have to be taken into account. It is quite <br />probable that the police department radio would not cause any <br />problems with a cellular phone antenna. However, a police <br />department and paging company may have problems." <br />Rowlette stated that if the Planning Commission basically <br />agrees to locating antennas on water towers, or similar <br />structures, that the Ordinance should be amended to address that. <br />She said, "There are other metropolitan cities that have already <br />adopted policies in this respect, and we could take advantage of <br />what they have done. At some point in time we are going to have <br />- 3 - <br />•ii