Proposed golf course cell tower draws controversy at City Council

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Monday night's monthly Sand Springs City Council meeting focused heavily on a controversial cell tower in the works at the Canyons at Blackjack Ridge golf course.

The municipal golf course owned by the City has been approached by Branch Communications, who wants to build an 85-foot cellular tower for AT&T on golf course property. The "stealth tower" is designed to resemble a pine tree and would not obstruct fairways.

According to Branch VP Mark Kenser, AT&T previously had an antenna atop the McKinley Water Tower for twenty years, but was denied a lease renewal.

Kesner said the company has been looking for a location for a new tower for two years, but has been severely limited due to topography and zoning restrictions. 

According to Kesner, the tower needs to be within a half-mile of its current location, and very little of that area is usable. Multiple private land owners have been approached, but none were interested in leasing or selling property. 

Kesner says AT&T would prefer to build a 150 ft. tower but dropped to eighty due to Municipal and citizen aesthetic concerns. 150 feet would be necessary to maintain current coverage, and eighty feet will offer the poorest coverage allowed by federal regulations. 

Several citizens spoke in opposition to the tower due to the obstruction it would impose on the natural view. Bill Denton, a residential developer, was concerned about the impact the tower will have on his property value and ability to sell homes.

Realtor Diane Robbins said she owns enough land for a thirty-plot subdivision, which already has a preliminary plat. She was also concerned about the impact the tower would have on property value. Realtor Dana Box echoed Robbins' comments.

Former City Councilman Dean Nichols spoke on behalf of Councilwoman Patty Dixon, who was absent due to a family medical emergency. According to Nichols, Dixon was firmly against the tower but was unable to be present for the vote.

Nichols also asserted that the income the City will be receiving from AT&T is far less than it should be when compared to what other companies have been known to pay. If the agreement with Branch is approved, the City will lease the property for $1,200 per month.

According to City Attorney David Weatherford, the question on the agenda was specifically regarding whether or not the tower was an appropriate use of land, and did not actually affirm a contract with the company. 

City ordinances require Antenna and Supporting Structures go through a Specific Use Permit process to prevent objectionable uses of land where zoning wouldn't specifically prohibit the placement of said equipment. 

If the tower is built, it would also have room to hold up to three additional carriers.

In other news:

Municipal Judge Tom Askew administered the Oath of Office to three new police officers. Jerrod Raglin, William Paarmann, and Cody Ziegler were sworn in with the Sand Springs Police Department.

Council unanimously approved a supplemental appropriation of $207,250 from the Water Utility Fund to pave the parking lot at Jerry Adair Baseball Park in Case Community Park. Voters approved the project as part of a general obligation bond package in 2017, but the bonds have yet to be sold to fund it. 

Council unanimously passed an ordinance allowing the City Municipal Court to try misdemeanor drug offenses, rather than sending them to the County for prosecution. Police Chief Mike Carter believes offenders will get more contact and help at the local level.

Council unanimously voted to greenlight a pilot program for traffic signage in residential neighborhoods. The City will begin placing signs with parking restrictions at the entrances to housing additions rather than along the streets. 

Council unanimously approved $382,249 for the purchase of a new wastewater vacuum/jet rodder truck. Citizens voted to fund the purchase in a November 2017 general obligation bond issue.

Council unanimously approved a $50,000 contract with Crawford & Associates for accounting and consulting services. 

Council unanimously approved a $34,160 contract with Arledge and Associates, P.C. to audit the City finances. 

Council unanimously approved the 2018 Sand Springs Police Department Policing Plan. 

Council unanimously approved an increase of $32,835 to an existing $317,179 contract with Sapulpa Digging, Inc. for the 2018 Sanitary Sewer Line Rehabilitation Project. 

Council unanimously approved a $54,305 one-year extension to an existing agreement with the Metropolitan Tulsa Transit Authority for bus transit services in the Sand Springs area. 

Council unanimously approved the Final Plat for the Rivercrest Addition, a fourteen-lot 4.82-acre subdivision near East 31st Place and South 113th West Avenue.

Council unanimously voted to appoint Mike Burdge, Brian Jackson, and Patty Dixon to the the Council Appointment Committee.

Council unanimously voted to appoint Burdge, Dixon, and Jim Spoon to the Council Finance and Development Committee. 

Council unanimously voted to appoint Dixon, Spoon, and Christine Hamner to the Council Legislative Committee. 

Council unanimously voted to appoint Hamner, Beau Wilson, and Phil Nollan to the Council Public Works Advisory Committee.

Council unanimously voted to appoint Arron Montross and Kathe Crapster to the Parks Advisory Board. 

Council unanimously voted to appoint Burdge to the Indian Nations Council on Governments (INCOG) Board of Directors with City Manager Elizabeth Gray as an alternate. 

Council unanimously voted to appoint Burdge to the INCOG General Assembly with Gray as an alternate.

Council unanimously voted to appoint Burdge to the INCOG Legislative Consortium with Gray as an alternate.

Council unanimously voted to appoint Jackson to the INCOG Tulsa Metropolitan Area Transportation Policy Committee.

Council unanimously voted to appoint Wilson to the Sand Springs Economic Development Authority Trust. 

Council unanimously approved the Fiscal Year 2019 Master Fee Schedule. 

The Sand Springs Municipal Authority meeting was held after City Council.

Municipal Trustees unanimously approved a thirty-year ground-lease contract with Ullrich Aviation at $3,531.33 per year for fifteen T-Hangars at Pogue Airport.

Trustees unanimously voted to appoint Joe Stephenson and David Kvach to the Airport Advisory Board.

Trustees unanimously voted to appoint Elizabeth Gray and Derek Henley to the Sand Springs/Sapulpa Joint Board.