03 Council Min 10-11-04.wpd - Laserfiche WebLink

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Regular City Council Meeting October 11, 2004 Page 7 and light and heavy industrial. Councilman Bell suggested treating all towers alike, whether cellular or not. Interim City Manager Shaw suggested sending this back to the Planning and Zoning Commission with any guidance the Council wants. Alex Cozell, said he owned a tower building company and had built thirty (30) over the past ten years with heights from 180 feet to 600 feet. He said he wasn’t wanting to build a tower in the middle of a residential area but was concerned about the setbacks on adjoining commercially zoned property. David Franks, from a company representing Verizon Wireless, said Verizon Wireless would like to come into Paris and would need six (6) sites to provide the service that Paris citizens deserve. He said two (2) are on existing towers and Mr. Cozell wanted to build one on the NE Loop. He said there would also be one across the street from Paris Junior College, one near Hwy. 271 and the Loop and one on the NW side of the Loop, and one ½ mile East of Loop on the North side of Hwy. 82. He said it was hard to find property because of the setbacks. Mr. Franks said the sites were sensitive because of the design and if you have to move one site to accommodate the setbacks, then you have to move all the sites. He said Verizon tried to co-locate whenever possible. Brock Bailey, of Verizon Wireless, explained that radio frequency engineers design the towers, who give it to the real estate agents to find willing landlords. He said the setbacks were the problem. He said when one sight is moved, the overlapping coverage changes and they all have to be moved. He said their letter suggested one to one set backs for residential and multi-family and side yard and front yard setbacks in other districts not bounded by residential. The Council discussed different options on setbacks and the tower ordinance. Mayor Fendley called for a recommendation. It was decided that City Attorney Schenk draft an ordinance with more liberal setbacks that would also protect the citizens.