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<br />Page Two <br />July11,1996 <br /> <br />interests. The FCC specifically determined that the following preemption of state and <br />local regulations was warranted: <br /> <br />1 . State and local regulations that operate to preclude amateur <br />communications in their communities are in direct conflict with <br />federal objectives and must be preempted. PRB-1 Para. 24. <br /> <br />2. Regulations which involve placement screening or height of <br />antennas based on health, safety, or aesthetic considerations <br />must be crafted to accommodate reasonably amateur <br />communications and to represent the minimum practical <br />regulation to accomplish the local authorities legitimate purpose. <br />PRB-1 Para. 25. <br /> <br />The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals in Pantel v. City of Mendota Heiahts. 13 Fed. 3rd <br />4061 (8th Cir. 1994) reviewed the Mendota Heights, Minnesota zoning ordinance and <br />found even though the city's aoplication of it's zoning ordinance was in conflict with <br />PRB-1 even though it neither banned nor imposed an unvarvinQ restriction on amateur <br />radio antennas, and it contained a provision for a conditional use permit <br /> <br />The 8th Circuit in Pentel noted that PRB-1 preempts a zoning <br />ordinance unless it is applied in a manner that "reasonably <br />accommodates amateur communications". In the past <br />municipalities have suggested that a reasonable accommodation <br />can be effected by a balancing of local and federal interests. <br /> <br />The court in Pentel clearly stated that a simple balancing of interests by the city will not <br />be sufficient. When an amateur has shown a reasonable basis for the antenna <br />proposed it is the duty of the municipality to reasonably accommodate amateur <br />communications. The burden of reasonable accommodation falls on the city and not on <br />the amateur. <br /> <br />Perhaps the most important provision of PRB-1 is the requirement that the restrictions or <br />limitations imposed by the ordinance must be the minimum practical restriction <br />necessary to effect the local authorities legitimate purpose. The burden of <br />demonstrating the ordinance meets the tests falls upon the municipality not the amateur. <br /> <br />The Roseville ordinance contains a number of provisions which raise concerns as to <br />apparent conflicts with PRB-1 including the following: <br /> <br />1. No distinction is made between amateur and those commercial and non- <br />amateur towers which have the protections afforded by PRB-1. <br /> <br />2. The requirement as to certification and calculation by a Minnesota <br />Professional Engineer appears to-be disproportionate to any reasonable risk. <br />