02. Ordinance 1657 - Planned Unit Development Amendment - 911 Center - 2nd ReadingREPORT TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Tom Jentz, Director
Myrt Webb, Interim City Manager
SUBJECT: Second Reading - Spring Prairie PUD Amendment/ 911 Center
MEETING DATE: April 6, 2009
BACKGROUND: This is the second reading on an ordinance to amend the Spring
Prairie PUD to address issues associated with the construction of the 9-1-1 Center in
Section 36. The following amendments were approved on first reading:
• Reduce the side yard setbacks from 20 feet to 5 feet for the Mixed Professional
and Mixed commercial PODS in line with the R-5 zoning.
• Provide for an exception to the height limitation of 40 feet that would allow
emergency communications tower to extend up to 100 feet high when
associated with an Emergency Operations Center.
The Kalispell City Council approved the first reading of the ordinance at their regular
meeting of March 23, 2009.
RECOMMENDATION: A motion to approve the second reading of the ordinance
amending the Spring Prairie PUD would be in order.
FISCAL EFFECTS: Minor positive impacts once fully developed.
Respectfully submitted,
Tom Jentz
Planning Director
Report compiled March 25, 2009
C: Theresa White, Kalispell City Clerk
r
Myr ebb
Interim City Manager
Return to:
Kalispell City Clerk
PO Box 1997
Kalispell, MT 59903
M117#0'j!1j-1r-t;%MATr=11-f�. 1 1��Wf
PRAIRIE PLANNE1, UNIT DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION
CENTER.THE CONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE EMERGENCY OPERATION
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Kalispell approved the Spring Prairie Planned Unit
Development Agreement on Section 36 on December 3, 2001, and
WHEREAS, the Spring Prairie Planned Unit Development Agreement was amended on December
15, 2003, September 19, 2005, and May 5, 2008, and
WHEREAS, it is in the best interests of the City of Kalispell that the Spring Prairie Planned Unit
Development Agreement be amended as set forth below.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
KALISPELL, MONTANA AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION I. That the Spring Prairie Planned Unit Development shall be, upon execution
by the landowner, amended as provided for in said agreement under Section
5, Amendment or Modification of Agreement as follows:
2.01E(2)b: Buildings in the Mixed Professional PODS shall be set back a minimum of 15 feet
from the front, 5 feet from the side, 10 feet from the rear and 15 feet from the side
corner. Buildings in the Mixed Commercial PODS shall be set back a minimum of 20
feet from the front, 5 feet from the side, 10 feet from the rear and 15 feet from the
side corner of the parent (not sublots) lot/lease lines.
2.01E(3)a: Buildings should not exceed 35 feet above the final grade in the Mixed Residential
POD, 40 feet in the Mixed Professional POD and 45 feet in the Mixed Commercial
POD. Such height limitation may be exceeded in the mixed commercial POD by
issuance of a conditional use permit. An exception to this height limit is granted to
Glacier High School to be located in the Mixed Professional POD which will be
allowed a maximum height of 55 feet at its highest point. An exception is also
granted to the Emergency Operation Center, located in the Mixed Professional POD,
which will be allowed to install an Emergency Communications Tower up to 100 feet
high, which will serve the Emergency Operation Center only.
SECTION II. This Ordinance shall take effect from and after 30 days of its passage by the
City Council.
PASSED AND APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL AND SIGNED BY THE MAYOR OF THE
CITY OF KALISPELL, MONTANA, THIS 6TH DAY OF APRIL, 2009.
Pamela B. Kennedy
Mayor
ATTEST:
Theresa White
City Clerk
March 4, 2009
PJ Sorensen
Kalispell Site Review Committee
201 First Avenue East
Kalispell, MT 59901
Re: Proposed Amendments to the Spring Prairie PUD (Planned Unit Development)
Dear PJ Sorensen & Kalispell Site Review Committee:
DNRC and the Flathead County 9-1-1 Center respectfully request two amendments be made to the Spring
Prairie PUD. Both amendments would be universal to the PUD for all new and existing developments.
The amendments are being requested per Section 5.01(A) or 5.01(B) of the PUD, and are as follows:
Minimum Yard Setback Requirements:
We propose deleting Subsection 2.01(E)2.b requiring 20 feet minimum setbacks on all yards for the
Mixed Commercial and Mixed Professional areas. By deleting this paragraph, Subsections 2.02(E)
and 2.02(F) will apply, directing these development areas to comply with the City of Kalispell Zoning
Ordinance.
Emergency Communication Tower Height Requirements:
We propose adding language to Subsection 2.01(E)3.a allowing up to a 100-feet high emergency
communication tower for Emergency Operation Centers. The tower and its communication
equipment shall serve the emergency center only.
The Flathead County 9-1-1 Center will benefit from the proposed amendments in that the side yard
setbacks will be modified from 20 feet minimum to 5 feet minimum. This allows the Center's
communication tower and future expansion footprint ample room on the site. The necessity for the 100-
feet high emergency communication tower is critical to its designed function. A letter is being attached
from the Flathead County Radio Systems Administrator describing the necessity for the tall vertical
height. The towers final height is not determined as the manufacture that successfully bids the work will
be in control of the towers final design and communication equipment layout. We have attached a photo
showing a similar emergency communication tower installation for your reference.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
DNRC
Bob Sandman
Area Manager
Enclosed: Tower Height Letter, Example Tower Photo
Sincerely,
FLATHEAD COUNTY 9-1-1 CENTER
C?ikck
Flathead County 9-1-1 Center
Flathead County Office of Emergency Services
920 S Main Street
Kalispell MT 59901
Mark Peck
OES Director
920 S. Main
Kalispell, MT 59901
Date: 02/27/09
Re: Tower Height and communications performance issues
Dear Mr. Peck;
Cindy Mullaney
Acting Director
Lincoln Chute
Fire Service Area Manager
Following discussions held on February 26, 2009, some serious issues have surfaced with the
City of Kalispell requesting the new 911 Center lower tower height by more than half. As was
discussed in preliminary meetings, the design of a 100 foot tower was not a problem.
Requesting a reduction of the tower to 40 feet and installing two towers only causes more
problems than can be mitigated. I would withdraw my support of building the center at this
location with these new parameters.
Several factors not related to height begin to play a critical part in the separation and location
of each antenna. Microwave dishes for instance, cannot point in the relative same direction
near each other's centerline. Two signals will begin to clash with each other causing the system
to become so unstable it is unusable. Microwave must have an unrestricted line of sight in
order to function properly.
Microwave dish height off of the ground is also a factor which can even impede the size of the
dish required to recapture signal strength. The closer the dishes are to the ground, the more
likely environmental issues such as humidity, snow effect, and other obstructive problems can
render the unit useless during storms.
Common two way radio antennas also require a minimum of vertical separation of no less than
20 feet between TX and RX antennas just to meet requirements for interference separation. If
these antennas are too close, several factors increase such as 3'd order intermodulation effects,
and masking problems. Even antennas that will operate on different frequency bands will
encounter interference issues if placed too close to each other.
Trying to install the required number of communications antennas on two separate towers will
in essence render many stations useless. Not only is the height and vertical separation critical,
Ph: 406/758-5563 or 758-5560 s Fax:: 406/758-5562 • Cell: 406/249-6913
Email: cmullaney@flathead.mt.gov
horizontal separation will also place an important part to reducing interference. Mounting the
antennas far enough away from the tower will alter the patterns developed by the signals, and
with a shortened design no any engineering firm could reliably design and factor the true
effects on the systems until after construction.
If the 100 foot tower is eliminated, I can no longer endorse the site as satisfactory for the
wireless communications and microwave systems. The City must understand the reason for
seeking the height as is drawn in the plans not just a range issue, but the major role in
interference reduction and reliable 911 communications voice transmission use.
Sincerely;
Jack Spillman
Radio Systems Administrator
Ph: 406/758-5563 or 758-5560 • Fax:: 406/758-5562 • Cell: 406/249-6913
Email: cmullaney@flathead.mt.gov
EXAMPLE
EMERGENCY
COMMUNICATION
TOWERS