Ordinance To Regulate New Communication Towers in City
By Ryan Schlehuber

A new ordinance that regulates the construction and deconstruction of communication towers was recommended to the St. Ignace City Council by the Planning Commission during its meeting Wednesday, July 18. The commission also approved construction of an advertising sign on a vacant lot for David Swope.

The board suggested small changes to the language in certain sections of the proposed communications tower ordinance before approving it. The drafted ordinance is to be placed in Chapter 38 of the city's zoning ordinance.

The idea for such an ordinance stemmed from discussions commissioners had of the idle communications tower on Amelia Street, which has been unused since 2002, when the Michigan State Police used it for radio communication. The tower was scheduled to be removed this year by a private contractor hired by the state, said Planning Commission Chairman Art Underwood, however, because the state is strapped for funding, deconstruction will be held off until at least this fall, when the state's 2008 fiscal year begins and more funding becomes available, explained City Building Inspector Paul Sved.

Also, the city was informed that Sprint Nextel is interested in constructing a communications tower in the area to provide better service to its customers.

Board members agreed that it would behoove them to set regulations for future construction and deconstruction of towers used for radio, Internet, and cellular telephone communication, for example, regulating how tall they can be and where they can be constructed.

A city building permit will be needed to construct a tower in St. Ignace.

Towers cannot exceed a height of 150 feet, measured from the ground. Sprint Nextel has plans to construct a 192-foot tower, however, with the new ordinance in place, the company would have to seek a variance to build.

Advertising signs cannot be displayed on the tower or attached to any fence or building adjoining it, unless for emergency information purposes.

If an existing tower is not in use more than 120 days, it must then be taken down and the city must be notified beforehand. If the owner does not do so in a timely matter, a $500 penalty will be issued each day until the violation is cleared.

Temporary or mobile towers, for television newscasts, for example, and towers less than 25 feet tall, are exempt from the ordinance.

Applicants wanting to build a tower must also include information as to whether there will be space for future users on the tower.

City Council may review the proposed ordinance at its next regular meeting, which is at 8 p.m., Monday, August 6.

Commissioners, after reviewing the site plan, approved David Swope's request to erect a lighted advertising sign on his vacant property near Hillside House Restaurant on North State Street. No complaints were submitted or heard before the vote by anyone opposing the request at the July 18 meeting. The property once was the site of the Northern Host motel (formerly Belle Isle), which was destroyed several years ago by fire.

Mr. Swope plans to erect an eight-foot-by-12-foot V-shaped sign that would advertise his Budget Host Inn a half-mile south of the property. The sign would stand near the sidewalk, close to the driveway leading to the Hillside House Restaurant.

Commissioners discussed whether the V-shaped sign, which will have advertising facing north and south, is actually two signs. They decided that since the sides of the structure will be attached together, it is considered one sign.

Commissioners said they will review the sign annually to assure that the sign and Mr. Swope's surrounding property has been properly maintained. At last month's Planning Commission meeting, neighbors of Mr. Swope complained that the vacant lot was not being maintained.

The Planning Commission is next scheduled to meet at 7 p.m. Wednesday, August 22.