06-23-1997 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

r i REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION DATE: June 18,19^0,'7*,. O ITEM NO:*7 I Department Approval: Name Ron Moorse Title City Administrator Administrator Reviewed: Item Description: Telecommunications Antennas Update Agenda Section: City Administrator ’s Report T^e City has received applications from three vendors to locate telecommunications antennas on the city s north water tovver. The antenna needs of each of the three vendors can be accommodated on the tower. The city’s priorities in accommodating the antenna needs are to minimize the visual impact and to protect the structural and operational integrity of the tower. Although staffs preference would be to locate all antennas on the stem of the tower under the bowl, the vendors have all indicated their antennas need to be located at or near the top of the tower. The antennas needed are similar to the antennas located on the tower in Long Lake. They aie flat rec^gular shaped antennas mounted in a triangular array with two to three antennas on each side of the mangle for each vendor. Staff is analyzing several options for accommodating these antenna arrays. The options are as follows: 1.Attach the antenna arrays to the existing railing at the top of the tower. Because of the linuted diameter of the existing railing it will only accommodate two of the three necessary sets of antenna arrays. 2.Attach a larger diameter railing to the top of the tower to accommodate the three sets of antennas. 3. Attach the antennas to the highest portion of the bowl of the tower (using adhesive versus welding to protect the tower). Each of these options has been used by various cities in the Metro area. Staff is in the process of contracting cities to determine which options have worked best. Regardless of which option is chosen, the vendors will pay all costs related to the mounting of the antennas on the towers. Jta addition to the space for the antennas, each of the vendors needs space for equipment cabinets. These are generally located on the ground near the water tcwer. A second opUon is to construct a mezzamne level inside the stem of the tower. The cabinets could then be located on the mezzanine wthout ^ecting the city's ability to use the ground level area inside the tower for storage needs. The vendors would also pay the full cost of constructing a mezzanine if this option is selected. Staff will be working closely with both the city’s consulting engineer and the city’s telecommumcations consultant for advice and assistance throughout this process. I i