The sudden appearance of a new cellphone tower near Lake Vermilion’s Frazer Bay was not just a shocker to local residents— it was a surprise as well to members of the Greenwood Township Planning Commission, which has oversight over such projects.
The 400-foot tower, owned by AT&T, was erected in August without a required conditional use permit, or the public hearing necessary to obtain a CUP.
“I screwed up,” acknowledged Greenwood Planning Director John Ziegler. Last month, when members of the planning commission asked Ziegler about the new cell tower, Ziegler explained that county officials had processed the conditional use application and had instructed him to issue a permit, which he did last winter.
Ziegler’s explanation displeased some members of the township’s planning commission, who questioned whether the county had overstepped its bounds, and the commission passed a motion instructing their attorney to investigate the matter.
As it turns out, county officials never processed the application. While AT&T officials did mistakenly file their conditional use permit application with St. Louis County, county planners say once they realized the project was located in Greenwood Township, they forwarded the application to Ziegler without processing it. According to St. Louis County Physical Planning Director Scott Smith, county officials never notified residents nor held a public hearing—as is required for the issuance of a conditional use permit— nor did they instruct Ziegler or anyone else to issue a permit for the proposed tower.
The situation leaves the township with an improperly-permitted cellphone tower— one that has already generated some displeasure among residents, due in large part to its location. The new tower is clearly visible across a wide swath of Lake Vermilion and is likely visible from portions of the nearby Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness as well.
Township planning officials are now holding an after-the-fact public hearing to take comments from residents about the tower. That hearing is set for Monday, Oct. 26, at 6:30 p.m. at the Greenwood Town Hall.
Still, it remains unclear what, if anything, the township might do to address concerns raised at a public hearing. “Are we going to make them take it down? I don’t think AT&T would be too happy about that,” said Ziegler.
But Ed Borchardt, the chair of the township’s planning commission, said he’s been hearing from area residents who have issues to raise, and he has at least one issue of his own. “I’d like to know why they chose such a tall tower,” he said.
Mistakes lead to complaints
Some in the township also want answers about a number of mistakes that they say Ziegler has made in processing project applications and variance requests in recent months. Such issues will likely be raised at a special town board meeting, set for 10 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 23, to address complaints filed against Ziegler. That meeting is set to be closed to the public, but Ziegler would have the option of opening the meeting if he prefers.
Ziegler defended his work, noting that a number of major projects in the township, including Great River’s powerline extension, the AT&T cell tower and others, have increased the workload in recent months. “I’m a one-man show. Sometimes I make a mistake,” he said.
Given the complexity of projects, some in the township are questioning whether the township should continue to handle its own zoning matters. Greenwood is one of only a handful of townships in St. Louis County that handles its own planning and zoning. Most other townships leave such matters to the county.
Bill Durbin, a member of the township’s planning commission, thinks that might not be a bad idea in Greenwood’s case. “After watching the continuing zoning circus, I think we should turn everything over to professional staff of the county,” said Durbin.
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Cell tower built without proper permit
Source: Timberjay.com
Date: 10/16/2009
