Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Telecommunications Infrastructure topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council presses administration after MetroNet boxes and flagged sites appear with little notice
Summary
Council members urged city staff to press MetroNet, the Oakland County Road Commission and property owners after several telecommunications installations—including larger flagged units downtown and smaller boxes on county right-of-way—went up with limited notice; staff said they are working with the city attorney and RCOC on mitigation and screening options.
Council members on Wixom City Council pressed city administration on a wave of recent MetroNet telecommunications installations that council members said appeared with little notice and are unsightly in downtown and along major corridors.
"Anything we can do to stop these installations from going in, especially in our downtown where we're spending so much money on beautification," Council member Barman said, asking the council to direct administration to pursue removal or relocation where possible. Barman said the council has photographs of the installations and reported seeing units on Pontiac Trail, Wixom Road and Lon Lake Road.
Assistant City Manager Benson told the council that, to staff's knowledge, the Pontiac Trail and Wixom Road installations were put in county right-of-way and property owners did not receive prior notice. "Both of these are in their right ofways...to our knowledge they did not receive any prior notice," Benson said, and added that staff have been in touch with MetroNet, the city attorney's office and the Oakland County Road Commission (RCOC) to seek mitigation such as improved screening or alternative placement.
Council members pressed for clarity about permitting and responsibility. Council member Gotcho said the installations make some parcels difficult to market and described the fixtures as an ‘‘eyesore’’ that could reduce property value if owners were not notified. Benson said RCOC takes the lead on county right-of-way permits and that staff are pursuing better lines of communication with the road commission.
Council members also raised concerns about inconsistency with local design expectations in the downtown area. Assistant City Manager Benson said the Metro Act, a state law, can preempt some local controls over telecommunications facilities in public rights-of-way, and staff are seeking legal guidance from the city attorney on what the city may require or negotiate.
Council members asked staff to pursue several steps: confirm whether the county issued permits and obtain copies if so; press MetroNet and the installers to screen or relocate fixtures in the downtown area; notify and work with affected property owners about complaint processes; and report back to council. Council member Gotcho suggested a meeting with RCOC to raise municipal concerns about permitting standards.
Benson said staff expect to provide an update at a future council meeting: "We fully expect within the next meeting or two meetings, you know, we'll be giving you updates as we go." The council did not take any formal action (no ordinance or binding vote on removal was recorded at the meeting).
