Assembly delays vote on proposed tower ordinance

PALMER – In a move uncommon enough that its clerk had to call a time out to check the rules, the Mat-Su Borough Assembly chose not to introduce one of its members’ solutions to a smoldering borough debate over tall tower regulations.

Assemblyman Warren Keogh has said that the tower ordinance he wanted to bring before the assembly for discussion and possible adoption Nov. 20 is a version of the ordinance that came before the body in November 2011.

Instead of passing that previous version, the assembly instead removed all existing tower rules from borough codes. That move came at a time when numerous telecommunications companies in the Valley were expanding their networks, often through the use of new towers.

In the wake of the repeal of those rules, the borough has seen a boom in tower construction and a parallel boom in complaints from upset residents surprised to see towers erected near their homes.

A new ordinance was set to be introduced Tuesday, which is the step before it’s discussed, the public is invited to comment and the assembly votes. Assemblyman Steve Colligan moved to not introduce the tower ordinance.

“I just feel that we’re in the process of appointing a new tower committee and this is appropriate for them to take up and review and get back to us, and I think this is a bit premature,” Colligan said.

Keogh, for his part, said that killing the ordinance would toss out the work of a previous towers committee that met 18 times over two years.

“All that work apparently is for naught if we again vote to postpone indefinitely and kill this legislation,” Keogh said.

But borough mayor Larry DeVilbiss said that just because the assembly declined to introduce a piece of legislation, doesn’t mean it is dead forever. With a new committee coming online to review all tower rules and regulations, introducing another ordinance now would just means it would have to come back after the committee looks at it.

“It would be a waste of everybody’s time to introduce it right now, both (for) the public and us,” DeVilbiss said.

Keogh said that the assembly has in the past put in place legislation with the intent of revisiting pieces of it that proved not to work.

“The assembly has said, ‘let’s go ahead and pass something even though it’s less than perfect,’” Keogh said. “This is less than perfect, but at least it’s an opportunity to get something on the books.”

Contact reporter Andrew Wellner at andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com or 352-2270.