Loading...
02-11-14KALISPELL CITY PLANNING BOARD & ZONING COMMISSION MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING FEBRUARY 11, 2014 CALL TO ORDER AND The regular meeting of the Kalispell City Planning Board and ROLL CALL Zoning Commission was called to order at 7:00 p.m. Board members present were: Chad Graham, Ken Hannah, Charles Pesola and Richard Griffin. Rory Young and Matt Regier were absent. Tom Jentz, P.J. Sorensen and Kevin LeClair represented the Kalispell Planning Department. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Pesola moved and Griffin seconded a motion to approve the minutes of the December 10, 2013 meeting of the Kalispell City Planning Board and Zoning Commission. VOTE BY ACCLAMATION The motion passed unanimously on a vote by acclamation. PUBLIC COMMENT None. MONTANA SKY NETWORKS A request from Montana Sky Networks for a conditional use permit CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT (CUP) to collocate Verizon cellular equipment on an existing communication tower. The property is located at 1286 Burns Way. The equipment would not increase the height of the tower. Board Member Griffin disclosed that his employer is under contract with Montana Sky Networks and asked the board whether he -should be involved in the discussions for the conditional use permit and vote on the matter. Hannah asked Griffin if he had any influence on the contracts for Montana Sky Networks and Griffin said none. Graham asked if Griffin would benefit financially from any decision by the board and Griffin said no. The board agreed that Griffin should be allowed to participate in the discussion and vote. STAFF REPORT KCU-13-05 P.J. Sorensen, representing the Kalispell Planning Office reviewed Staff report KC- 13-05 for the board. Sorensen said Montana Sky Networks is a lo.cal internet provider. He reviewed the location of the business which is southwest of the Kalispell Regional Hospital building. Sorensen indicated the firm received a CUP for the existing communications tower in 2007 which was constructed in 2010. Sorensen reviewed a site plan of the property and photographs of the existing tower and the changes that would be made to the tower with the collocation. Sorensen noted the city is requiring a CUP for this collocation because when the tower was approved in 2007 the tower was considered accessory to their business since it would Kalispell City Planning Board Minutes of the meeting of February 11, 2014 Pagel of 3 only serve their business. Therefore, the condition to prohibit collocation was included in the approval. Today the city tries to encourage collocation rather than putting up additional towers throughout the city to cover the same area. Antennas have been added to other buildings and they blend in well and have increasingly become a necessary part of our public infrastructure. Sorensen noted no significant negative or positive impacts were found with the addition of the antenna to the tower. When the original CUP was reviewed in 2007, the close proximity of the proposed tower to the Alert Helipad was reviewed. However the FAA found the placement of the tower did not create any hazards to air aviation. Staff recominends that the Kalispell City Planning Board and Zoning Commission adopt staff report KCU-13-05 as findings of fact and recommend to the Kalispell City Council that the CUP be approved subject to the 3 conditions listed on the staff report. BOARD DISCUSSION Pesola asked why collocation was prohibited and Sorensen said at that time cell towers were not allowed in the H-I zone but in other areas of the city accessory towers (serving the business where the tower is located) were allowed for radio or television stations and personal ham radio operators. In those cases the height of the towers was limited to the maximum height in each zoning district. When the tower was approved for Montana Sky Networks the height was limited to 60 feet and collocation was prohibited in an effort to classify the tower as accessory. Hannah asked if the antennas were being moved from another location and Sorensen said they are new antennas to meet the increasing need for service and collocating made perfect sense. Graham asked what services are being upgraded and Sorensen said currently the tower is only being used for the Montana Sky Networks internet service. The collocation would provide Verizon customers in this area with better service. PUBLIC HEARING No one wished to speak and the public hearing was closed. MOTION Pesola moved and Hannah seconded a motion to adopt Staff Report KCU-13-05 as findings of fact and recommend to the Kalispell City Council that the conditional use permit be approved subject to the 3 conditions listed on the staff report. BOARD DISCUSSION None. Kalispell City Planning Board Minutes of the meeting of February 11, 2014 Page 2 of 3 ROLL CALL The motion passed unanimously on a roll call vote. OLD BUSINESS: None. NEW BUSINESS: Jentz said there will be a board meeting on March 11, 2014. Griffin asked if there are any pending projects coming to the board and LeClair said the city has received an application for an annexation of 18 acres located on Highway 93 North, adjacent to the National Guard property and also adjacent, on two sides, to the Valley Ranch PUD that was approved a few years ago. The annexation will come before the board in March. LeClair also noted the plat has been finalized and recorded for Spring Prairie Phase III, the current location of Cabela's, where 10 lots have been created. Building permit applications have been received for the construction of additional commercial retail structures on a majority of those lots. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at approximately 7:15 p.m. WORK SESSION A work session was held immediately following the regular meeting to discuss the following item: 1. Continuation of the Growth Policy Update. NEXT MEETING The next regular meeting is scheduled for March 11, 2014 beginning at 7:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers located at 201 1 st Avenue East in Kalispell. had Oraharn Presid t APPROVED as submitted/corrected: ��/ %j /14 .h�LA Michelle Anderson Recording Secretary Kalispell City Planning Board Minutes of the meeting of February 11, 2014 Page 3 of 3