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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-6129-E Staff AnalysisNovember 14, 2002 ITEM NO.: 16 NAME: LOCATION T-Mobile Tower Use Permit 10901 Rocky Valley Drive FILE NO.: Z OWNER/APPLICANT: Central Arkansas Water/Site Excell PROPOSAL: A tower use permit is requested to allow for the addition of 5 feet to the height of this existing, 150 -foot tall monopole tower to accommodate an additional wireless carrier. The property is zoned R-2. ORDINANCE DESIGN STANDARDS: 1. SITE LOCATION: The lease area is located within the Jack Wilson Water Treatment plant site, at the northwest corner of 1-430 and Pleasant Valley Drive. 2. COMPATIBILITY WITH NEIGHBORHOOD: The WCF is located near the center of the large, Central Arkansas Water Jack Wilson Water Treatment plant site. It is shielded from visibility by plant facilities and woods. Allowing the tower to be increased 5 feet in height to accommodate an additional wireless carrier will not affect its compatibility with surrounding uses. All owners of property located within 200 feet of the site, all residents within 300 feet who could be identified and the Pleasant Valley and SWLRUP Neighborhood Associations were notified of this request. 3. ON SITE DRIVES AND PARKING: A paved driveway within an ingress/egress easement provides access to the WCF lease area through the water works property from Pleasant Valley Drive. There is adequate area within the water works property to accommodate the vehicles of any technicians visiting the WCF site. 4. SCREENING AND BUFFERS: Landscape and screening requirements are those standards contained within the Zoning WCF Ordinance. November 14, 2002 ITEM NO.: 16 5 LA PUBLIC WORKS COMMENTS: No Comments. UTILITY. FIRE DEPT. AND CATA COMMENTS: FILE NO.: Z -6129-E Wastewater: Sewer main extension required with easements if service is required for project. Entergy: No Comments received. Reliant: No Comments received. Southwestern Bell: No Comments received. Water: No objection. Fire Department: Approved as submitted. County Planning: No Comments received. CATA: No Comments received. SUBDIVISION COMMITTEE COMMENT: (OCTOBER 24, 2002) Chris Villines was present representing the application. Staff presented the item and noted a variance would be needed to allow the tower height to be increased from 150 feet to 155 feet. Staff noted that the WCF was located within the large, Central Arkansas Water Jack Wilson Water Treatment Plant and was shielded by perimeter vegetation and the water tanks and buildings. Staff voiced support for a waiver of the landscaping and screening requirements on all perimeters of the WCF site. There were no further staff comments. The Committee determined there were no other issues and forwarded the item to the full Commission. STAFF ANALYSIS: The Wireless Communication Facility (WCF) located at 10901 Rocky Valley Drive consists of a 150 -foot tall monopole tower and 3 equipment shelters/cabinets within a 2,075 square foot lease area. The lease area is within 2 November 14, 2002 ITEM NO.. 16 (Cont. E NO.: Z -6129-E the very large, Jack Wilson Water Treatment Plant Facility that is operated by Central Arkansas Water. The entire Water Works site is enclosed by security fencing. The WCF lease area is enclosed by a 6 -foot tall chain link fence. The lease area is located 288 feet away from the north property line, 364 feet from the east property line, 1,027 feet from the south property line and 938 feet from the west property line. The lease area is shielded from view from neighboring properties by dense vegetation on the perimeters of the water works property and by the large tanks and buildings on the site. This WCF site was approved at staff level in July 1998. Subsequent collocations were approved in June 2000 and December 2000. On June 20, 2000, the City Board of Directors passed Ordinance No. 18,288 granting a waiver of the landscaping requirement on all 4 sides of the WCF. That ordinance required that an 8 -foot tall, wood fence be erected on all 4 perimeters of the WCF lease area. T -Mobile now proposes to collocate on the site resulting in 4 carriers on this one monopole tower. T -Mobile will sublease a 19'X 25' area within the larger, 2,075 square foot WCF lease area. An equipment cabinet will be placed in the lease area and additional antennae will be placed on the tower. The current carriers have their antennae at 125 feet; 137 feet and 149 feet on the tower. In order to provide the required coverage, T -Mobile cannot place their antennae any lower on the tower. Consequently, this proposal includes adding 5 feet on top of the tower. T -Mobile's antennae will be placed at the 155 -foot level. Staff is supportive of the variance to allow the tower to exceed the allowable height of 150 feet. This will accommodate the collocation and reduce the need for an additional tower in this area. Since the WCF lease site is located within the Central Arkansas Water Jack Wilson Water Treatment plant site and is so separated from all adjoining properties, staff supports a deferral of the landscape and screening requirements in the perimeters of the WCF lease site. Although the June 2000 colocation required the installation of the 8 -foot wood fence, it appears it was not installed. Typically, Central Arkansas Water does not want additional fencing or landscaping placed around WCF lease sites that are on Water Works property because it might hamper operation of their facility. Due to the nature and location of this site, it is reasonable not to require screening or landscaping on the perimeters of the WCF lease site. Staff supports a deferral of the landscaping and screening until such time as a "major change in circumstance" as defined in Section 36-593(c)(6) of the Code. Section 36-593(c)(6) states a "major change in circumstance" means that: 3 November 14, 2002 ITEM NO.: 16 (Cont. FILE NO.: Z -6129-E (1) the area within 200 feet of the boundaries of the WCF tower site has developed to the point that there is a virtually unobstructed view of the tower site from any adjoining occupiable residential structure or from public property or right- of-way, and (2) the City has received a complaint from the owner of an occupiable structure located within 200 feet of the tower site that the site has insufficient landscaping or screening in place; and (3) the City has requested that the parties resolve the issue by agreeing to certain screening or landscaping requirements consistent with LRC § 36-593 which can be granted administratively by the Director of Planning and Development, but no agreement has been reached, or sufficient additional space around the site has been acquired to meet the landscaping, setback and screening requirements of LRC § 36-593. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval of the tower use permit. Staff recommends approval of a height variance to allow the tower height to be raised to 155 feet. Staff recommends approval of a deferral of the landscape and screening requirements on all 4 perimeters of the WCF lease site until such time as a "major change in circumstance" as defined in Section 36-593(c)(6) of the Code. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (NOVEMBER 14, 2002) The applicant was present. There were no objectors present. Staff presented the item and a recommendation of approval. Staff recommended approval of the requested height variance. Staff recommended approval of a deferral of the landscape and screening requirements on all 4 perimeters of the WCF until such time as a "major change in circumstance" as defined in Section 36-593(c)(6) of the Code. There was no further discussion. The item was placed on the Consent Agenda and approved as recommended by staff. The vote was 10 ayes, 0 noes and 1 absent. 4 November 14, 2002 ITEM NO.: 18 SUBJECT: Planning Commission receipt and acceptance of an ordinance amendment work program for 2002-2003; directing the Plans Committee to proceed with review and forwarding the results of that review for public hearing. STAFF REPORT: The seventeen (17) subjects in this proposal were offered by staff and citizens over the past several months. On October 9, 2002, the Plans Committee briefly reviewed the proposals and directed staff to proceed with preparation of an agenda item on November 14, 2002 for commission endorsement. If the Commission accepts this material as the 2002-2003 Work Program for ordinance amendments, staff will immediately distribute the material to contact persons. Comments received will be forwarded to the committee for inclusion within the discussion. Once the Plans Committee completes its review, the completed package will be returned to the Commission. It is anticipated that the review process should take 4 to 5 months. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (NOVEMBER 14, 2002) Staff presented the proposed Ordinance Amendment package. There was no discussion. The Ordinance Amendment Work Program was placed on the Consent Agenda and adopted by a vote of 10 ayes, 0 noes and 1 absent.