~To~wn may extend antenna freeze
<br />.La Posada site not model, Town· attorney says
<br />By LESLIE SHAMES
<br />S\lff writerf.i . r N L I {I l 'f 7
<br />Although the Town of
<br />Paradise Valley approved a· per-
<br />mit for a cellular phone antenna
<br />at La Posada Resort last month,
<br />a moratorium on new applica-
<br />tions will likely be extended, a
<br />Town official said.
<br />month moratorium imposed in
<br />August by 30 to 45 days.
<br />A meeting was held Dec. 20
<br />between Town officials and
<br />seven to 10 cellular providers.
<br />The Town Council and Planning
<br />Commission will hold work-
<br />shops in January to develop the
<br />ordinance.
<br />The Town Council will not
<br />vote on an ordinance before
<br />February, Ms. Kennedy said.
<br />the AT&T permit," she said.
<br />"We're trying to do our best to
<br />mesh the interests of the home-
<br />owners with those of the
<br />providers." .
<br />The AT&T permit did not
<br />describe the site in .detail or list
<br />the reasons why it was needed
<br />because those were outlined in
<br />prior negotiations. The ordi-
<br />nance will likely require the
<br />applicant to provide a photo
<br />simulation of the site and a
<br />statement of need.
<br />The Town Council and staff
<br />still must consult with cellular
<br />providers and hammer out ordi-
<br />nance details regulating how
<br />permits are granted. Those
<br />details must comply with new
<br />federal standards, Town
<br />Attorney Jill Kennedy said. This
<br />may involve extending the six-
<br />AT&T Wireless Service's La
<br />Posada site, approved Dec. 5, is
<br />not a model for future permits
<br />but a work in progress, Ms.
<br />Kennedy said.
<br />The AT&T permit includes 16
<br />stipulations. It requires the s,ite
<br />comply with all federal regula-
<br />tions and the phone company
<br />Photo by LESLIE SHAMES/Independent Newspaper:
<br />"The ordinance will probably
<br />be a little more restrictive than See ['] ANTENNA page 4
<br />A recently approved cellular antenna site will by installed inside 'this tower
<br />at the La Posada Resort, 4949 E. Lincoln Drive. The Town of Paradise
<br />Valley is drafting an ordinance regulating permits for such sites.
<br />Ill ANTENNA continuedfrom page 1
<br />fix any interference the facility
<br />may cause to area television or
<br />radio broadcasts. AT&T is
<br />responsible for any liabilities
<br />caused by the site.
<br />would be an expense not pro-
<br />portional to the .planned·
<br />throughout Paradise Valley." "Many of those won't work;
<br />many of the owners won't want
<br />to touch them; many won'thave
<br />appropriate height,:' . Ms.
<br />Kennedy said. .
<br />The permit also requires
<br />AT&T to allow other cellular
<br />providers to place antennas at
<br />the site. The industry term for
<br />this is co-location, and it is
<br />becoming common as new sites
<br />become difficult to find.
<br />changes. .·
<br />"The Town's legal and profes-
<br />sional determination was that
<br />the nature of improvement
<br />didn't relate to the right of
<br />way," Ms Kennedy said.
<br />Even with an ordinance in
<br />place, cellular providers wili not
<br />find many sites for antennas,
<br />Ms. Kennedy said. T_he antennas
<br />can go only on properties hold-
<br />ing special-use permits, mostly
<br />resorts, schools and places of
<br />"We're going to continu'e most
<br />likely to receive most cellular
<br />service from sites outside of the
<br />Town." •-The final permit requires no
<br />changes to the property unrelat-
<br />ed to the antenna.
<br />· worship. With only 40 permits
<br />in the Town, choices an~ limited.
<br />It took Town staff and AT&T
<br />officials nearly nine months to
<br />negotiate -the permit, the only
<br />one being processed when the
<br />moratorium was passed.
<br />One problem with negotia-
<br />tions was the Town expected
<br />AT&T and La Posada to make
<br />some property improvements,
<br />including installing meandering
<br />sidewalks along Lincoln Drive,
<br />AT&T spokeswoman Cindy
<br />Daly said. This would have
<br />required tearing out the resort's
<br />entire front entrance.
<br />The Town later agreed
<br />improvihg the right of way
<br />The La Posada antenna will
<br />be a "stealth" site, meaning it
<br />will not be visible. It will be
<br />installed on a tower's interior
<br />on one of the resort's buildings.
<br />A small equipment shack will
<br />be hidden inside a vacant office
<br />underneath the tower.
<br />The site should be in place by
<br />February, Ms. Daly said. AT&T
<br />is seeking two more sites in the
<br />Town but has not found any
<br />prospects.
<br />"The La Posada site . was the
<br />most important because most of
<br />the traffic goes through thart
<br />area," she said. "Additional si!Jp,t.·
<br />will help keep service canst~'
<br />•
<br />~~C~AL~~\to~~ w~!.~.::~~~~~t! ~~~~!t!~~!~~th pu~
<br />Police Department's communica-
<br />tion capabilities are being up-
<br />graded, a cooperative effort with
<br />Scottsdale's crime lab has been
<br />extended and participation in the
<br />regional task force fighting drug
<br />trafficking has been continued.
<br />The three actions taken recently
<br />by the Town Council will increase
<br />and enhance the department's
<br />crime-fighting abilities, Chief John
<br />Wintersteen said.
<br />New radio equipment will allow
<br />Paradise Valley officers to commu-
<br />nicate with six Valley agencies,
<br />adding the Maricopa County Sher-
<br />iffs Office, Chandler and Gilbert
<br />to -Scottsdale, Tempe and Glen-ing Scottsdale officers helped them
<br />dale. The new system will bring all capture the suspect.
<br />these these agencies into immedi-Paradise Valley police already
<br />ate contact when criminals cross have a contract to use Scottsdale's
<br />city and town boundaries. · crime lab, and technicians from
<br />that lab will continue to provide
<br />services and process evidence from
<br />town crime scenes. The pact,
<br />originally enacted in 1992, has
<br />been extended two years.
<br />In the fight against drug traf-J
<br />ficking, a Paradise Valley officef
<br />will remain with the U.S. Drug
<br />Enforcement • Administration's
<br />Metropolitan Task Force for an-
<br />other two years. Paradise Valley
<br />Such an incident occurred sev-
<br />eral weeks ago, when a homicide
<br />suspect from Phoenix was involved
<br />in a daylong pursuit from the west
<br />Valley. Officers from the Scotts-
<br />dale, Phoenix and Tempe police
<br />departments, as well as the De-
<br />partment of Public Service, were
<br />involved when the suspect entered
<br />Paradise Valley and was arrested
<br />by the town's officers.
<br />_has participated in t.he program
<br />Paradise Valley officers said the since 1992.
<br />Co'P.~iss~nJo(lks forappf~a·nth' ,,t
<br />The Town .of· Paradise ·valley'
<br />is accepting applications frorn
<br />residents wishing to serve em
<br />the Planning Commission. ·
<br />The· commission is ina de up
<br />of seven members and Inakes:
<br />recommendations to the Town!
<br />Councii onmatters·ofproposed!
<br />subdivisions, lot splits, speciaF
<br />use permits and amendments,
<br />to the general plan, subdivi-1
<br />sion and zoning ordinances,
<br />The commission meers twice
<br />monthly· at 7 p.m. on Tuesday.
<br />Members also are asked to
<br />attend.· one to two ._Town
<br />Council meetings annually and
<br />serve on the Town's Hillside
<br />Building and Special Use
<br />Permit Review committees on
<br />an as-needed rotating basis.
<br />For information, call Town
<br />Manager Jim Siket at 948-7411
<br />before Jan. 17.
<br />Town Council
<br />takes action ·
<br />t for PY no lice : ';f.v..x..;d. •r!.['17 .
<br />. PARADISE VAL EY ·-The
<br />Police Department's communica-
<br />tion capabilities are being up-
<br />graded, a cooperative effort with
<br />Scottsdale's crime lab has been
<br />extended and participation in the
<br />regional task force fighting drug
<br />trafficking has been continued.
<br />Tlie three actions taken recently
<br />. by the Town Council will increase
<br />:and· ·enhance the department's
<br />·crime-fighting abilities, Chief John
<br />Wintersteen said.
<br />New radio equipment will allow
<br />Paradise Valley officers to commu-
<br />nicate with six Valley agencies,
<br />adding the Maricopa County Sher-
<br />iffs Office, Chandler and Gilbert
<br />to the ones they currently can talk
<br />to -Scottsdale, Tempe and Glen-
<br />dale. The new system will bring all
<br />these: these agencies into immedi-
<br />ate· ctmtact when criminals cross
<br />city and town boundaries:-
<br />Stich an incident occurred sev-
<br />eral weeks ago; when a homicide
<br />suspecffrom Phoenix was involved
<br />in a day long pursuit from the west
<br />Valley. Officers from the Scotts-
<br />dale, Phoenix and Tempe police
<br />departments, as well as the De-
<br />partment of Public Service, were
<br />involved when the suspect entered .
<br />Paradise Valley and was arrested
<br />. by t4~Jown'sofficers.
<br />· · J>arlJ,dise Valley officers said the
<br />-ability·to talk directly with purs-
<br />ing Scottsdale officers helped them
<br />capture the suspect.
<br />Paradise Valley police already
<br />have ·a ·contract to ·use Scottsdale's
<br />crime l~b,_ and technicians from
<br />that lab· .will continue to provide
<br />services and process evidence from
<br />town .. ::crime scenes. The pact,
<br />originally enacted in 1992, has
<br />been extended two years.
<br />In the -fight against drug traf-
<br />ficking,· a Paradise Valley officer
<br />will remain with the U.S. Drug
<br />Enfqrcement Administration's
<br />Metropolitan Task Force for an-
<br />other two years. Paradise Valley
<br />has participated: in the program
<br />. since 1992.
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