Wayzata residents presented a petition to the City Council last week signed by 500 people opposing cellphone companies putting equipment in Klapprich Park.
For years, residents near the park, which dates to 1854, have pushed relocating cellphone equipment, saying it's a safety hazard and eyesore. Crews also often work at the site, they say, upgrading antennas and equipment near or on top of a water tower.
"It's too close to the residents," said Lucy Bruntjen as the sound of cellphone crews working echoed behind her house, less than 20 feet away. "It's just ongoing with the explosion of technology — it's just one update after another."
But the City Council says relocating it could be costly and could disrupt cell service for thousands of area residents. Four companies have equipment there. Leasing space to them has brought Wayzata nearly $300,000 a year that goes to repairing the city's streets or its water system. If cell equipment were relocated, the companies could opt to drop out, cutting off that revenue. The city also says a disruption of service could open the city to a lawsuit from companies.
In April, the council approved a nearly $10,000 study to explore how to improve aesthetics and landscaping — the last of three studies over the past six years. In August, the city reviewed five options for the current site, ranging from an estimated $50,000 to $500,000, to improve landscaping, fencing or move equipment to a new compound elsewhere in the park. But residents say they want equipment moved out of the park completely.
"Of course [redesigning equipment in the park] doesn't solve the problem of the debris, the parkland access, the truck traffic, the noise," Bruntjen said.
City staff is expected to give the council more details and costs for options Sept. 16.
Kelly Smith • 612-673-4141
