A request for positive comment on a planned cell phone tower, approval of a driveway construction proposal and the recent theft of farm equipment were among the items discussed at the regular meeting of the Santiago Town Board Wednesday night.

 

Consultant Lewis Martin appeared before the board to request a positive comment from them in regard to a new 250-foot cell phone tower that Verizon Wireless® is seeking permission to erect on private property in the township.  The company has completed the paperwork necessary to apply for a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) on the site, Martin said, and the positive comment from the township board is the first step in the process of gaining approval for the project.

 

After the Wednesday meeting, Martin said he will appear before the Sherburne County Board of Adjustment with his request, after which he will seek approval from the planning commission.  If all of these bodies approve the proposal, it will then come before the county board for final approval.

 

Supervisor Dave Jehoich asked Martin about the two variances included in the application, which involved the distance of the tower from a residence at the site and the distance from an adjoining property line.  Martin told the board engineering conducted on the self-supporting tower indicated that, in the unlikely event of an impact, the structure is designed to separate at the mid-section and so would not impact either the residence or the adjoining parcel, both of which are owned by the individual who has agreed to have the tower built on his property, Martin said.  The Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) has signed-off on the proposal, and the tower will be lighted at the top.  The structure will be enclosed by a fence, and the site contains no wetlands or other protected property.

 

The site does contain some materials that will require clean-up to the satisfaction of county authorities before a building permit will be issued for the project, and the cell-phone provider is aware of this issue and is prepared to go forward with the clean-up if and when the project receives approval from the county board.  County regulations also stipulate that the tower be able to provide space for other phone service providers.  The proposed tower in Santiago will have room for antennas from two other carriers, Martin said.

 

Following the presentation, the board unanimously voted in favor of sending a positive comment on the project to the appropriate county offices, noting that the board especially favors the approval of the CUP application, and adding a rider that states that the clean-up of the site must be completed and approved before a building permit is issued by the county. Chairman Stuart Nelson stated that the tower would be a benefit to the township by providing expanded cell-phone coverage to residents and eliminating a large “dead zone” that currently exists in the area.

 

During the sheriff’s report, Nelson commented that a manure spreader at his farm had been stolen at some point after the snow had melted this spring.  He acknowledged that the matter does have a funny side, but, while he had no particular attachment to the equipment, it will still cost him a sum of money to replace it.

 

Nelson and Deputy Andy Ochs said residents should take down serial numbers and note other identifying features on outdoor equipment and farm implements, which would make identification easier if the material was recovered by law enforcement.  Citing a number of other equipment thefts in the area this spring, Ochs advised residents to be aware of any suspicious activity they may see, and not to be reluctant to call the sheriff’s department with their concerns.

 

The sheriff’s report for March listed 42 calls for service in Santiago Township, including a total of 14 traffic stops in that time.

 

The board approved a request to begin a new driveway project from a township resident, as long as it meets township specifications and the property owner agrees to the installation of a new culvert, and conducted the annual organizational meeting based on the results of the township annual meeting.  The board also accepted a bid from Kevin Anderson for mowing services at the town hall.