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City Council <br />Meeting Minutes <br />October 2, 2018 <br />Pa9e 7 of 15 <br />the five foot attachment height limitation is too limiting. She stated they need the 8 foot <br />extra height to accommodate both 4G and 5G technologies. She distributed some <br />phone simulations of what pole attachments might look like. <br />Kevin Brown, Verizon Wireless Engineer, stated he could answer questions about <br />deploying 4G and 5G technology. Councilmember Maloney stated we have a number of <br />neighborhoods with no poles other than decorative light poles. He asked how Verizon <br />would deploy 5G on those. Brown stated they would try to mimic the decorative poles <br />but would need to have enough room for two facilities, one each for 4G and 5G. They <br />would use a decorative pole with 4G and 5G attached to it. <br />Councilmember Stolzmann stated she has lots of residents requesting better cell <br />service; so she understands the demand for that. She asked if the email from Comcast <br />and Verizon's concerns related to height make it worth continuing the ordinance so we <br />make sure we get it right. Ritchie stated it is a balance of better service and protecting <br />city character. At this point, without a specific design request to look at accommodating <br />new services, staff does not feel the need to continue it. Staff feels the code as written, <br />and with the City Manager options, will work. The goal is to balance community <br />character and community expectation for service. She noted if we need to change it or <br />hear it is not working we can amend it. If Council wants 8 feet we can make that <br />change. <br />Councilmember Loo asked if the Federal shot -clock could be met with this ordinance as <br />written. Ritchie stated yes, staff can meet that rule even if City Manager signoff is <br />required. Councilmember Loo asked Regan if a decision in 60 to 90 days is reasonable. <br />Regan stated it depends on if they are attaching to existing facilities or if they want free <br />standing facilities and the City Manager exemption does not apply to both. She stated <br />Verizon is targeting markets where they can get approval without the City Manager to <br />sign off which is why they are asking for 8 feet already allowed now so it is available <br />when they are ready to install. <br />Ritchie stated the staff is fine with changing the language that a City Manager approval <br />could be used for both new and existing facilities. <br />Public Comments <br />John Leary, 1116 Lafarge Avenue, asked if the City Manager exception would include a <br />hearing process for the neighborhood or would it simply be an administrative change. <br />Ritchie stated normally a hearing would make sense, however Federal and State Law <br />would preempt the City from denying these types of applications if the applicant can <br />show the height is needed to run the network so it would be misleading for staff to imply <br />to residents that a public hearing would make a difference. <br />Councilmember Loo stated this community wants new and faster service but they also <br />want it to look nice. We should make it as easy and clear from the beginning so when <br />