Planning commission tables 149-foot monopole proposal at Wentworth Park after heavy public opposition

The Mendota Heights Planning Commission on April 28 voted 5-2 to table Planning Case 2026-05, a Conditional Use Permit request from Buell Consulting on behalf of The Towers LLC to build a 149-foot wireless monopole at Wentworth Park, a City-owned site at 739 Wentworth Avenue. Commissioner Steve Goldade moved to table the application; the motion passed with Commissioners Jason Stone and Jeff Nath opposed.

Community Development Manager Sarah Madden told commissioners the application had generated extensive public interest: staff had received 63 public comments and recommended tabling the request so revised plans could address a height-to-setback ratio issue in the zoning ordinance. Staff also said the applicant had verbally agreed to extend the review deadline beyond June 27 but had not yet provided a signed waiver.

Applicant representatives Sarah Buell and Scott Buell said the monopole responds to a Verizon coverage gap identified in their RF engineering maps and argued the site’s elevation at Wentworth Park is necessary to serve the affected area. "Federal agencies are the experts and authorities relating to RF emissions from towers," Ms. Buell said, citing the Telecommunications Act of 1996 and the Federal Communications Commission as the regulator of radiofrequency emissions. Mr. Buell said independent appraisals reviewed five paired sales and concluded the tower "would not measurably impact property values," and he suggested a stealth-tree design as a possible mitigation.

Many residents disputed those conclusions. Katarina Miketin, owner of OneTen Cycles, said a similar commercial-site proposal had been smaller and on private property in 2021 and criticized prioritizing lease economics before resolving siting concerns: "This impact would be permanent; Wentworth Park is irreplaceable," she said. Several homeowners said the tower would consume about 2,500 square feet of parkland and called that loss irreversible for neighborhood open space.

Community members offered mixed testimony on service problems. Some residents described persistent indoor dead zones and emergency-call failures that they said create public-safety risks. Tim Milner said he has relied on Wi-Fi calling and commercial service to compensate for local network limits and urged action to address essential communications for businesses and residents. Other residents said switching carriers or upgrading home systems resolved service issues and questioned whether a single tall tower is the appropriate long-term fix.

Commissioners pressed technical questions about alternatives, including co-location on existing towers, adding multiple lower-height towers, or extending other facilities. Commissioner Patrick Corbett argued the City should consider commissioning its own independent electromagnetic or coverage study rather than relying solely on applicant-provided materials. "The worst thing we could do is have a group of people without coverage and a group upset about a pole in the park and still not have resolved the issue," Corbett said.

Several residents and commissioners referenced the City’s Comprehensive Plan and the Parks Master Plan, saying the proposed monopole is inconsistent with priorities for preserving neighborhood green space. Others raised health concerns linked to radiofrequency emissions; commissioners and staff noted legal limits to the municipal authority to evaluate RF safety and pointed to federal jurisdiction, while residents cited reports and court developments questioning long-standing FCC standards.

The Commission’s vote to table directs staff to accept revised plans and return the application to the Planning Commission for further review and a new public hearing; staff indicated they would not allow the case to lapse to administrative approval and would seek a signed extension from the applicant if necessary. The City Council will receive any formal recommendation if the Commission moves the application forward; staff noted a revised application would likely restart public notice and could reset the review timeline.

The public hearing record includes extensive written and oral testimony on alternatives, property-value analyses, tower visibility and stealth designs, lease economics, and potential impacts on park programming. The Commission also asked staff to advise the City Council about the potential value of an independent technical mapping or study to inform future wireless infrastructure decisions.

No final decision was made on the CUP; the item was tabled pending revised plans and additional technical information.