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Last week the Mendota Heights City Council denied a cell phone tower planned for Wentworth Park. But expect a cell tower proposal to return.
What: The proposal was for a 149-foot tower with a “monopine” design that resembles a pine tree and 2,500-square-foot enclosure in Wentworth Park.
Why: The proposal did not meet setback requirements, though the “monopine” design gave Council the option to waive the requirements. However, city staff recommended denial, noting that the “monopine” design towered over the tree canopy and was not sufficiently camouflaged. Also, a recent state grant for trail work required any leasing of park property had to be approved by a state agency.
Council vote: The City Council voted 4-0 to deny the application (City Council Member Joel Paper was absent). Here’s where the members stood on the issue:
- Stephanie Levine: “The City Council recognizes the need for improved cell service and nothing about this vote changes that, not for me,” said Levine. “This application, like any other land use application, goes through the CUP process, the conditional use permit, which by law requires a public hearing, because decisions about neighborhoods are best made with the neighbors. Land use decisions are frustrating, they can be complicated, they can be long, and they can be messy. But the process works.”
- Sally Lorberbaum: “For me, public safety has always been a priority. We need to do something.”
- John Maczko: He said he was surprised to be supporting the denial, but the Council is listening to the outpouring of response from the community. However, cell coverage still needs to be addressed. He supports doing additional, city-funded research on where the coverage gaps are.
- John Mazzitello: He lives 400 feet from Wentworth Park and has no cell coverage in his home, so wanted the tower but voted against it due to the community reaction. “I’m glad to hear this will be back,” he said. “I don’t know where the exact location is, whether it’s on public property, whether it’s on private property, whether it’s floating in the air on a helium balloon, I don’t know, but it’s got to be in this vicinity.”
What’s Next
Buell Consulting, who brought the proposal for Verizon, will continue to study the issue and bring forth another proposal in the future. Council members offered a number of potential options including signal boosters, changing city code to allow antennas on existing buildings to be taller, and even future satellite technology.
Tenor of Comments
The Council as a whole talked about receiving a lot of community feedback, but two members in particular commented on the negative tone, including name calling, othering, and death threats.
“That isn’t something that makes me feel good about the community, because I don’t think that’s Mendota Heights,” said Maczko.
“Most of what we received was some of the nastiest comments I’ve seen in 18 years of service to this city,” Mazzitello said. “That’s not us, that’s not who we are as a community.”
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