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Commission briefed on proposed Verizon monopole near ski jump as Section 106 public comment opens
Summary
City staff told the Heritage Preservation Commission that Verizon proposes a 125-foot monopole on property near the Maplewood ski jump; because the project involves federal review (FCC), a Section 106 process and community-comment window are under way. Commissioners raised questions about safety and electromagnetic fields and were told technical and permitting issues fall to planning and building departments.
City staff on March 10 told the Maplewood Heritage Preservation Commission that Verizon has proposed a communication monopole on property adjacent to the ski jump and that the project has moved into a federal review phase that includes a Section 106 consultation and public comment.
“Verizon wants to put a monopole at the ski jump,” Joe, the city staff liaison, told commissioners, noting council had already approved a 125-foot monopole in principle and that the application was reconfigured to sit on the property rather than on the ski jump structure itself. Joe said the Section 106 process will determine whether the monopole would have an adverse effect on the ski jump’s potential historic designation.
Commissioners and attendees raised safety questions. One commissioner asked about magnetic or electromagnetic fields and whether a collapsed pole could hit the ski jump. The commissioner said he had “heard there’s bad things about it” and expressed concerns about future jump expansion being limited by the pole’s position.
Joe and other commissioners said the technical safety questions—soil tests, engineering, structural safety—are under the purview of the city’s Building and Planning Commission and the project engineers and planners, not the Heritage Commission. Staff encouraged anyone with feedback to provide comments during the open comment period and said the commission can submit advisory comments through email or as part of the Section 106 process.
No vote was taken by the Heritage Commission; staff said the item will be placed on the May agenda for any formal comments the commission chooses to make. The Section 106 review and the public comment window will determine whether changes are needed or whether the monopole would adversely affect any potential historic designation of the ski jump.
