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••cETtNO REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION <br />ocr 0 a 2001 <br />Cl hr or OMOlVO <br />DATE: October 4.2001 <br />ITEM NO: ^ <br />Dcpartncat Approval: <br />Nanc RooMoone <br />TMIt City Admintstralor <br />Adniaistnitor Reviewed:Ageada Seettoa: <br />City Administrator's <br />Report <br />Iten Desenptloa: Sprint PCS Lease Proposal for Telecommunications Antenna and Tower <br />Atuchment: Sprint PCS Lease Proposal <br />Sprint PCS has submitted a proposal to the City regarding a lease of the City *s property adjacent to <br />the Crystal Bay Post OfTice, for the installation of an 80-100 foot telecommunications tower and <br />antennas. The City*s regulations regarding telecommunications towers and antennas do not allow <br />towers or antennas in residential zones, with the e.xception of antennas located on the City's two <br />water towers, lliesc regulations have enabled at least three different providers of wireless <br />communications services to provide service to Orono and portions of adjacent cities. Sprint is the <br />only provider that has requested an additional tower and antenna site in the city. If the Council was <br />to accept the lease proposal, the siting of a tower in the Crystal Bay area would require an <br />amendment to the City's regulations to allow telecommunications towers in residential zones. <br />Staff Recommendation <br />The Crysuil Bay neighborhood is a historic lakeshore neighborhood located on one of the largest <br />bays of Lake Minnetonka. In the interest of preserving the city's unique character of a scenic <br />waterfront community, and to minimize the visual impact of a telecommunications facility, a lease <br />of the specified property, given its location and prominence in the community, would be an <br />inappropriate use of public lands, not benefitting the citizenry of the City of Orono as a whole. Staff <br />is recommending the Council reject the lease proposal. <br />If the lease proposal is rejected. Sprint may seek to lease private property in the area for the tower <br />and antennas. This option would require an amendment to the City's telecommunications tower and <br />antenna regulations to allow towers and antennas in a residential zone. The Council is not being <br />asked at this time to consider amending its regulations. The only action requested is to accept or <br />reject the lease proposal. <br />COUNCIL ACTION REQUESTED: <br />Motion to reject the Sprint PCS proposal to lease City property' adjacent to the Crystal Bay Post <br />Office for an 80-100 foot telecommunication tower and antennas, and to direct staff to send a letter <br />to Sprint indicating the City is not interested in pursuing a lease agreement with Sprint at this time.