Maple Grove approves cell tower, schedules camera surveillance meeting
The Maple Grove City Council unanimously approved three major items on Tuesday, including a 100-foot cell tower for Verizon and a $900,000 infrastructure project for a new apartment development. The council also agreed to hold a separate meeting to discuss resident concerns about the city's use of surveillance cameras.
The council voted unanimously to allow Verizon to build a 100-foot cell tower at 3200 Veracruz Avenue North on city-owned property. The tower is designed to fill a documented gap in cellular coverage in the area. The city will receive lease revenue from the arrangement, and the tower's design allows other cell phone companies to use it in the future. One resident raised concerns about environmental impacts on a nearby creek and wildlife, but city staff clarified that the tower would have no beacon lighting and explained the financial benefits to the city.
In a second unanimous vote, the council approved a $900,000 project to improve streets and sidewalks around the Yellow Tree development, a new apartment building being built on the former Wells Fargo site at 7056th Avenue. The improvements, funded through tax increment financing generated by the new building, include decorative sidewalks, pedestrian lighting, upgraded wheelchair-accessible ramps at 57th and Broadway, and repairs to a sidewalk gap. Construction is planned for fall 2027, when the apartment building opens.
The most contentious issue of the evening involved the city's use of FLoC cameras, which automatically read license plates. Multiple residents spoke against the technology, citing privacy concerns, potential misuse by law enforcement, data breaches, and high error rates that have led to false arrests in other cities. Residents called for the city to cancel its contract and hold a public vote on the issue. The council agreed to schedule a standalone meeting with the Police Department and FLoC representatives to discuss the concerns further, though no decision was made on whether to continue using the cameras.
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Votes (3)
Approval of Consent Agenda
Moved by Unknown [00:12:44,770] · Seconded by Teresa [00:12:47,700]
The consent agenda, comprising several routine items, was read aloud. No specific discussions or questions were raised by council members during this time.
Resolution Approving a Conditional Use Permit for a Telecommunication Tower at 3200 Veracruz Avenue North
Moved by Jen [01:08:39,000] · Seconded by David [01:08:49,770]
Staff presented the proposal for a 100-foot Verizon monopole tower to address a verified coverage gap on city-owned property, with an existing lease providing revenue. The design allows for co-location by other providers. A resident raised concerns about environmental impact on a nearby creek, wildlife, and the necessity of the tower given emergency service regulations. Staff clarified the tower's height, foundation depth, lack of beacon lighting, and the financial benefit to the city through the lease.
Resolution Approving a Professional Services Agreement with Fulton and Mink for 90% Design of TIF Funded Improvements Serving the Yellow Tree Development at 7,056th Avenue
Moved by Theresa [01:12:44,770] · Seconded by Unknown [01:12:51,230]
Staff presented the agreement for the 90% design phase, outlining the estimated $51,000 engineering cost and $900,000 construction cost, including contingency. It was clarified that funding comes from Tax Increment Financing (TIF) generated by the new apartment building, not general tax revenue. The project encompasses decorative sidewalks, pedestrian lighting, upgraded accessible ramps at 57th and Broadway, and fixing a sidewalk gap, with construction planned for fall 2027.
Notable Quotes (7)
Uh, the property is city owned and has an existing sanitary sewer lift station, which will remain. And we have received independent confirmation of the need for this tower to fill a verified, uh, telecommunications coverage. Gap.
That’s what the independent, engineering report from all engineering showed. And so people that have say a different, uh, cell service like I have T-Mobile sometimes I’m coming north on Douglas Drive and my calls just drop. So this is a Verizon tower, but it does have the potential for co-location.
I just do think these things should have more consideration rather than Verizon told us that a tower should be going in, because maybe in 30 years, like other people will be, other companies will be using this tower, um, or will have a different like evolution generation of, uh, of like data that like we need to connect people to.
Part of my concern is where it is as well. If Creek um, that that is sacred waters and that like, I haven’t heard anybody talk about like the Lakota community being involved in this being cleared at all.
Are we receiving any revenue from them building on our property? They have a lease. No, don’t have a lease. Okay. It’s around 30,000 a year. I don’t remember the exact amount. Because it’s our property. Yeah, the city owns the land, right? Um, and so it’s it’s on our property.
Uh, the estimated cost of the engineering work is $51,000. We’re here tonight because that contract is large enough to require city council approval. And the estimated construction cost of the project would be just under $900,000, which includes a 10% construction contingency for unforeseen work that ends up being needed.
So, uh, again, this would all be funded from tax increment generated by the new department on the former apartment building on the Wells Fargo site. So it would not be paid for out of general tax revenue.
Ordinances & Resolutions (19)
Award presented by the Chief of Police for individuals who have gone above and beyond to assist the department or community.
Meeting minutes approved as part of the consent agenda.
Meeting minutes approved as part of the consent agenda.
Meeting minutes approved as part of the consent agenda.
Resolution adopted as part of the consent agenda.
Resolution adopted as part of the consent agenda.
Resolution adopted as part of the consent agenda.
Resolution adopted as part of the consent agenda.
Agreement approved as part of the consent agenda.
The contract between the city and FLoC Safety, terms of which were a major concern for residents regarding data ownership and sharing.
Agreement related to the funding of FLoC cameras, potentially allowing for termination without financial repercussions.
State law cited by a resident regarding the incompleteness of audit logs provided by the city for FLoC camera searches.
Article mentioned as revealing ICE's access to Crystal's FLoC data.
An upcoming ordinance expected to ban flavored tobacco and nicotine products.
Permit for the construction of a telecommunication tower at 3200 Veracruz Avenue North.
Resolution for the Verizon cell tower.
Report confirming the need for the telecommunication tower to fill a coverage gap.
Agreement for 90% design of TIF-funded improvements for the Yellow Tree development.
Resolution for the design of TIF-funded improvements at the Yellow Tree development.
Source document
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Other Topics from This Document
Automatic License Plate Readers (ALPRs) - FLoC Cameras
City Street Parking Policy
Proposed Flavor Ban on Tobacco and Nicotine Products
Conditional Use Permit for Telecommunication Tower
Professional Services Agreement for Yellow Tree Development Improvements
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