Carefree Truth
Issue #611, December 18, 2017
Agenda item #9 addressed an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) for the use of Real Property among Maricopa County and the Town of Carefree and the Town of Carefree Arizona Utilities Community Facilities District (UCFD) for the Real Property known as the Silver Saddle Site. This was also heard at the Carefree Water Company Board of Directors meeting which was held immediately before the Town Council meeting. Mayor Les Peterson asked Greg Crossman, the General Manager of the Carefree Water Company, to give an abbreviated presentation at the Council meeting for those in the audience who were not at the Water Board meeting.
Mr. Crossman explained that the IGA involves the use of the Silver Saddle water tank site for a wireless communications facility, and includes 3 separate agreements. The parties are Maricopa County (MC), Rural/Metro (R/M) and Sonoran Networks (SN), which provides wireless Internet service in north Carefree. R/M and SN required only Water Company Board of Directors approval. The request before the Council comes from MC and is a 3 way IGA between MC, UCFD, which is the sole owner of the water company, and the Town of Carefree.
The site is located in the far northern portion of the water service area, in the Carefree Highlands area, which is very mountainous. It is the highest part of the water system, on a ridgeline, making it very advantageous for wireless communication. The site contains two 150,000 gallon water tanks . At the southern end is the existing Town emergency communications facility, comprised of a portable connex box housing some of the electronic equipment and a 50' tower/antenna. The communications equipment would be replaced by what the County is proposing. Additions to the site would be relatively minor. MC would install a stealth faux 25' tall saguaro for their antenna, the connex box would be replaced with a prefab shelter, the Water Company back-up generator would be replaced with a County back-up generator and the 2 liquid propane tanks would be replaced with one larger tank.
The Council was considering approving an IGA with the County that establishes the legal and business aspects. Site aesthetics will go before the Planning & Zoning Commission for a recommendation on granting a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) at their December meeting. Their recommendation will be forwarded to the Council for a decision at their January 9th meeting. The IGA is contingent upon MC receiving a CUP.
The MC additions to the site will address the communications "shadow" in north Carefree which is created by Black Mountain. It would allow the County to communicate with the north part of Carefree and would improve town-wide communications with a myriad of departments within the County, including Flood Control, the Department of Transportation and others. Most important to Carefree is the improved ability to communicate with the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office (MCSO), which provides police protection to Carefree. Other benefits to the Town include no-charge use of state-of-the-art County communications equipment. Some frequencies will be carved out for use by the Town of Carefree. MC is also offering to provide 8 new emergency radios. Upkeep of the equipment will be done by the County, eliminating Carefree's responsibility to maintain it.
The Carefree Water Company (CWC) will benefit from the use of the new shelter for their control systems, the current power costs of $60-$90 a month will be absorbed by MC, and the CWC will have the use of MC's back-up generator. The County also proposes to pave the access driveway leading up to the site and to install a hammerhead turn around. Currently, the pavement ends at the Water Company gate. The site has a steep, narrow dirt driveway, and trucks must back out of the driveway, creating a safety concern. Mr. Crossman called this a win/win/win situation for the community, the Town, the Water Company and the County.
Mayor Peterson said that the neighbors had been notified and were aware of this meeting for potential approval of the IGA. No neighbors had expressed objections. He added that the electromagnetic power output would be less than that of a cell phone. The IGA was approved 6-0. Slides showing location and equipment photographs can be seen on the video.
https://vimeo.com/246537698
Lyn Hitchon
Prepared by Carefree Truth
Visit our website at www.carefreetruth2.com If you know anyone who would like to be added to the Carefree Truth email list, please have them contact me. Feel free to share Carefree Truth with others on your list.
Visit www.carefreeazbusinesses.com to see more info about businesses in Carefree. Please support our merchants.
Issue #611, December 18, 2017
Agenda item #9 addressed an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) for the use of Real Property among Maricopa County and the Town of Carefree and the Town of Carefree Arizona Utilities Community Facilities District (UCFD) for the Real Property known as the Silver Saddle Site. This was also heard at the Carefree Water Company Board of Directors meeting which was held immediately before the Town Council meeting. Mayor Les Peterson asked Greg Crossman, the General Manager of the Carefree Water Company, to give an abbreviated presentation at the Council meeting for those in the audience who were not at the Water Board meeting.
Mr. Crossman explained that the IGA involves the use of the Silver Saddle water tank site for a wireless communications facility, and includes 3 separate agreements. The parties are Maricopa County (MC), Rural/Metro (R/M) and Sonoran Networks (SN), which provides wireless Internet service in north Carefree. R/M and SN required only Water Company Board of Directors approval. The request before the Council comes from MC and is a 3 way IGA between MC, UCFD, which is the sole owner of the water company, and the Town of Carefree.
The site is located in the far northern portion of the water service area, in the Carefree Highlands area, which is very mountainous. It is the highest part of the water system, on a ridgeline, making it very advantageous for wireless communication. The site contains two 150,000 gallon water tanks . At the southern end is the existing Town emergency communications facility, comprised of a portable connex box housing some of the electronic equipment and a 50' tower/antenna. The communications equipment would be replaced by what the County is proposing. Additions to the site would be relatively minor. MC would install a stealth faux 25' tall saguaro for their antenna, the connex box would be replaced with a prefab shelter, the Water Company back-up generator would be replaced with a County back-up generator and the 2 liquid propane tanks would be replaced with one larger tank.
The Council was considering approving an IGA with the County that establishes the legal and business aspects. Site aesthetics will go before the Planning & Zoning Commission for a recommendation on granting a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) at their December meeting. Their recommendation will be forwarded to the Council for a decision at their January 9th meeting. The IGA is contingent upon MC receiving a CUP.
The MC additions to the site will address the communications "shadow" in north Carefree which is created by Black Mountain. It would allow the County to communicate with the north part of Carefree and would improve town-wide communications with a myriad of departments within the County, including Flood Control, the Department of Transportation and others. Most important to Carefree is the improved ability to communicate with the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office (MCSO), which provides police protection to Carefree. Other benefits to the Town include no-charge use of state-of-the-art County communications equipment. Some frequencies will be carved out for use by the Town of Carefree. MC is also offering to provide 8 new emergency radios. Upkeep of the equipment will be done by the County, eliminating Carefree's responsibility to maintain it.
The Carefree Water Company (CWC) will benefit from the use of the new shelter for their control systems, the current power costs of $60-$90 a month will be absorbed by MC, and the CWC will have the use of MC's back-up generator. The County also proposes to pave the access driveway leading up to the site and to install a hammerhead turn around. Currently, the pavement ends at the Water Company gate. The site has a steep, narrow dirt driveway, and trucks must back out of the driveway, creating a safety concern. Mr. Crossman called this a win/win/win situation for the community, the Town, the Water Company and the County.
Mayor Peterson said that the neighbors had been notified and were aware of this meeting for potential approval of the IGA. No neighbors had expressed objections. He added that the electromagnetic power output would be less than that of a cell phone. The IGA was approved 6-0. Slides showing location and equipment photographs can be seen on the video.
https://vimeo.com/246537698
Lyn Hitchon
Prepared by Carefree Truth
Visit our website at www.carefreetruth2.com If you know anyone who would like to be added to the Carefree Truth email list, please have them contact me. Feel free to share Carefree Truth with others on your list.
Visit www.carefreeazbusinesses.com to see more info about businesses in Carefree. Please support our merchants.