By ARIADNE WILL
Sentinel Staff Writer
After hearing concerns about the location of a proposed telecommunications tower on Japonski Island, the Planning Commission voted Wednesday to postpone further consideration of the request until their March 2 meeting.
The item is a variance request to increase the maximum height of principal structures from 40 to 110 feet for a tower at 1332 Seward Avenue. The site is in the Public Lands zoning district, and within a mile of the Sitka airport.
The land is owned by the University of Alaska Southeast and has been leased by New Horizons Telecom Inc., an arm of Verizon Wireless.
Sierra Larson, speaking for the applicant, said the tower would house only 4G infrastructure, but commissioners expressed concern about the tower’s carrying a 5G signal in the future.
Under public comment, commission member Stacy Mudry submitted articles from various sources, including the Federal Aviation Administration, raising concerns over the effects a 5G signal can have on aircraft navigation.
The FAA says the radio frequency spectrum that 5G operates on – known as the C-band – is near the frequencies used by radio altimeters, “an important piece of safety equipment in aircraft.”
The FAA currently is imposing restrictions that can affect flight schedules and operations in places where 5G towers are located near airports, the commission was told.
“I want to make sure we don’t do something that’s going to be detrimental to Sitka,” Mudry said. “That’s our only airport.”
Larson and Amy Karn, a real estate specialist with Verizon, said switching the tower from 4G to 5G likely would require more infrastructure, but it was unclear whether the telecommunications company would need another permit to make the change.
In their unanimous vote to postpone action on the variance request, the commission said the U.S. Coast Guard, airlines and other users of the airport will be notified prior to the March 2 meeting.
In other business the panel discussed the process for filing conditional use permits for short-term rentals on boats.
A problem arose last month when the neighbor of a proposed boat short-term rental said he received notice of the permit request only hours before the commission meeting.
Commissioners directed staff to look into the possibility of having the Port and Harbors Commission – which reviews short-term rental permit requests on boats – be responsible for sending notices.
The Planning Department is required by city code to mail notices between 20 and five days prior to the Planning Commission meeting at which the item will be considered. Commissioners agreed that isn’t always enough time for that notice to be received by those in the “buffer zone” of boats involved in planning and zoning issues. The buffer zone includes vessel owners on the same harbor finger as the vessel requesting the permit, and who may live on islands and not come into town every day, are out fishing for long periods of time, or wintering elsewhere.
It was decided also that the Planning Department will speak to the Harbors Department to see if emergency notification systems may be used to notify those in the buffer zone.
Also Wednesday, the commission unanimously approved a variance for a front setback reduction and a final plat for a minor subdivision at 101 Metlakatla St. in an R-2 Multifamily district.
Applicants Andrew and Diane Foss have plans to redo the front of the house, which was built prior to city code requirements.
The Foss’ plans include renovating the front entrance, which now has steps that abut the roadway. Future plans include stairs parallel to the roadway, which staff said would be safer than the existing stairs.
Staff said they consider this variance to be a step toward making the property better conform with city code.
The commission also approved a final plat for a minor subdivision at 601 Baranof Street in the R-1 Single-Family and Duplex Residential district.
The minor subdivision results in two lots, both of which are far larger than the minimum lot size in city code.
Applicant David Thomas said he plans to build his residence on one of the lots and sell the other.
Assembly liaison Thor Christianson and Commissioner Darrell Windsor were absent from the meeting. Present were Chris Spivey, Stacy Mudry, Wendy Alderson, and Katie Riley.
