The best way to understand the issue, let's start with a discussion of the players.

THE PLAYERS...

1.  Oakwood home-owners, residents, tax-payers, families.  We're the folks who live in Oakwood.  We like it here.  Our neighborhood has quiet tree-lined streets with cozy homes.  We benefit from a convenient, self-contained commercial district that offers groceries, banking, dry-cleaning, restaurants and shopping.   Like most parts of Kalamazoo, we have been affected by the economic down-turn.  A few of our neighbors have been struggling for some time in an effort to sell their homes or lease their commercial structures.   

Many of us are optimists.  We know that our neighborhood is fundamentally a great place, and that things will improve in time.  At the same time, we are determined to protect our property-value from disinterested opportunists.  Few of us have "golden parachutes," and fewer still are banking on a big buy-out from our partners in the firm.  For most of us our homes are our greatest assets.  Our home values have already suffered enough.  We are relieved to see that they may be on the rise again, and alarmed at the current threat.  We are committed to preserving our equity.

2. The Kalamazoo Country Club.  A private club, and a good neighbor.  It's reasonable to assume that some of the folks living in Oakwood belong to the club, but the majority of its members come from other areas in Kalamazoo, as well as Battle Creek, Portage, Mattawan, Galesburg, Otsego, Plainwell, and many other towns.  While play on the club course is typically a "members-only" experience, we all benefit from views of the beautiful park-like setting of the course and club grounds. 

Recently, the club entered into an agreement with MetroPCS wherein it will lease a portion of land for the construction of a 170' telecommunications tower.  The leased area will accommodate the monopole tower, and up to 5 additional equipment pads and shelters (for a total of 6 sets of equipment).   This arrangement will allow MetroPCS and/or the club to obtain additional fees from other wireless carriers who may eventually choose to locate their antenna on the massive tower.  

3.  MetroPCS.  As applicant, they have applied for a Use Variance in order to erect the new 170' tower in our residential neighborhood.  An up and coming name in wireless telephone service, MetroPCS operates on several existing towers in the Kalamazoo area.  Documents included in their application file show that they have antennas located in the commercial district along stadium drive (about the 3000 block, in the low spot between Stadium Dr and the tracks), and its much smaller twin  located behind Lowe's on S. Westnedge.  MetroPCS also has an impressive antenna array atop a building located at 550 W. Crosstown Parkway. Click here for pictures.

The Stadium Dr. tower is of the type that is planned for Oakwood.  From the road, it seems short, but don't be fooled; it actually sits in a low spot!  In reality it's 149.9 feet from top to bottom, just 25.1 feet shorter than the proposed Oakwood tower!  This tower also depicts the "rent-potential" for tower owners.  If you look closely at the tower, you will notice that it is ringed with antennae at various levels.  Only one such antenna array belongs to MetroPCS.  Several additional antenna supports are located at 10' intervals down the length of the tower, with two additional antenna sets closer to the bottom.  The Stadium Dr. tower currently has 2 additional arrays. Click here for pictures of the Stadium Drive tower.  Though shorter, it is still impressive.

While the MetroPCS towers on Stadium and Westnedge occupy sites in commercial districts, the potential Oakwood site is in a RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT.  In their project description document, MetroPCS indicates that "[t]he proposed tower will provide contiguous wireless coverage serving commercial traffic along Oakland Drive, Parkview Avenue, and Whites Road."  An examination of the MetroPCS Wireless Coverage Map tells an interesting story.  The map shows that Oakwood already has "Good" coverage.  While it is true that most of the areas surrounding Oakwood have "Best" coverage, it is equally true that MetroPCS could have built taller towers on Westnedge and/or Stadium Drive.   

I cannot recall any coverage issues in Oakwood with my current wireless carrier, and the same is true for many of the folks I have talked to.  I therefore think it is unlikely that the "big-name" carriers will come rushing to Oakwood to hoist their antennae on the MetroPCS tower.  Bottom-line, if you think this is a trade-off for "more bars" on your phone, you may be disappointed.

In that light, it's tempting to wonder whether this is about improved coverage, or, increased cell tower rental revenues. In either event, it is not uncommon for small carriers to enter into significant tower build-outs in order to make themselves more attractive for merger and acquisition.

By the way, if you are wondering just how tall a 170' tower is, consider that the water-tower on the grounds a Kalamazoo Regional Psychiatric Hospital is only 5' taller.  The KRPH tower was built in 1895 to serve the needs of the hospital.  It is a signature landmark of Kalamazoo, visible from many locations throughout our city.

Will MetroPCS build a new 170' "landmark" in Oakwood?    Only if we let them.

4.  The City of Kalamazoo Planning & Development Department.  These are great folks who do a tough job.  It's tough because they have the "referee" role.  They provide information to applicants, supporters, and opponents alike.  They are bound to follow the letter and spirit of the Zoning Ordinance.  

In addition to community planning, these folks receive all applications for zoning requests, variances, special use permits, etc.  Once they receive the various applications, they send out notices to the property owners who may be impacted by the applicant's request.  They also publish notices in the newspaper to tell anyone who may be interested about these applications.   Many of the applications require a public hearing before the planning commission, or, in our case, the Zoning Board of Appeals.  In advance of these meetings, the folks at the planning office retain the applications and related documents (site plans, engineering statements, maps, photos, etc) for public review.

This is the best part; any citizen of Kalamazoo can walk in and review these public documents! It is democracy in action.  If you haven't done it, you should; it's empowering.

5.  The City of Kalamazoo Zoning Board of Appeals.  This board exists to hear issues related variances, appeals of administrative decisions, and changes in nonconforming use, and then to render decisions based on the statements of the applicants, supporters, and opponents.  

The Zoning Board of Appeals will hear testimony on the MetroPCS application for variance during their regular November Meeting.  This will occur Thursday, December 12 at 7pm.  The hearing will be held at City Hall, 241 W. South St.  

           This hearing will be the last chance to voice your opinion before the ZBA renders a decision.
 
6.  The City of Kalamazoo Zoning Ordinance.  For our purposes it's the law.  This is the single legislative document for the entire process from application through final resolution of an issue.  The actions of applicants, planning staff, and members of the ZBA must be consistent with the letter and spirit of this document.

The zoning ordinance provides a fair, consistent, and reproducible way to evaluate requests and applications.  The zoning ordinance balances the requests of each applicant against clear and well-established criteria.   

Without the ordinance, the whole decision making and planning process would be random, arbitrary, and capricious.