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Oak Park MAC narrowly recommends Verizon permit with 50-foot limit, landscaping and notice conditions
Summary
The Oak Park Municipal Advisory Council voted 3-2 Jan. 25, 2011 to recommend a Verizon minor modification for monopoles at 4996 Kilburn Court, with conditions limiting height to 50 feet, requiring screening plantings, and restricting construction hours and notice to nearby residents.
The Oak Park Municipal Advisory Council on Jan. 25 recommended approval, by a 3-2 vote, of Verizon Wireless’s request to modify a conditional use permit at 4996 Kilburn Court so it can replace three existing 40-foot monopoles to close a local coverage gap, provided the company meets conditions set by the MAC.
The motion, made by Michael Paule and seconded by Mike Green, limited the allowable pole height to 50 feet (Verizon had applied for 60 feet), required the diameter of replacement poles to match existing installations, called for an engineer-recommended color that is least visible, and ordered planting to screen the facility. The MAC also restricted construction work to 9 a.m.–3 p.m. Monday through Friday and required Verizon to notify Kilburn Court residents of hearing dates and construction schedules and to inform residents if on-street parking would be used.
Kristin Galardo, zoning manager for CORE Development Services representing Verizon, said the company reviewed MAC comments from December 2010 and could reduce the requested height: "the tower height requested could be reduced to 50' from the 60' originally on the permit application." She described the company’s poles as "slim line" compared with earlier installations and said construction using a crane to set the poles could be completed in one to two days, while overall site work would take longer. She told the MAC that construction vehicles would be parked near the water tank site rather than on Kilburn Court and that Verizon would work to avoid peak neighborhood hours.
Residents and Morrison Homeowners Association representatives questioned visual impacts, site selection and procedural issues. Pitt Gilmore said Verizon has an easement from the HOA and argued the company should seek HOA approval. John Wallace said the towers could lower nearby property values and suggested the companies consider offering free service to adjacent homeowners. Joshua Rosenberg and others asked whether smaller alternatives or additional sites could meet coverage needs; Galardo replied that replacing the single site would otherwise require two additional sites.
Planning staff member Daniel Klemann said the Planning Department would send notifications to those on its list and that inspections would be performed to verify the installation meets permit specifications. Klemann also said staff would review existing T‑Mobile materials at the water-tank site to determine whether additional camouflaging measures were appropriate.
The MAC recommended the application despite objections from Chair Derek Ross and member Mike Mc Reynolds, who voted against the recommendation. The minutes record that typical leases with the Triunfo Sanitation District run about 10 years. The MAC’s recommendation goes to County Planning, which will carry out formal permitting, notice and inspection procedures before any installation proceeds.
