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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-6551-E Staff AnalysisApril 3, 2003 ITEM NO.: 10 FILE NO.: Z -6551-E NAME: SBA Communications — Tower Use Permit LOCATION: 901 Towne Oaks Drive OWNER/APPLICANT: Newman McGee/SBA Network Services PROPOSAL: A tower use permit is requested to allow an existing Wireless Communication Facility support structure (tower) to be increased from 150' to 155' in height. The property is zoned C-3. ORDINANCE DESIGN STANDARDS: SITE LOCATION: The WCF is located on the east side of Towne Oaks Drive, between Rodney Parham and Treasure Hill. 2. COMPATIBILITY WITH NEIGHBORHOOD - 3 The WCF is located within a C-3 zoned commercial area. All properties immediately around the tower site are zoned C-3 and are occupied by a variety of commercial uses. MF -18 and MF -24 zoned apartments and condominiums are located to the north, across Treasure Hill. No changes are proposed to the WCF lease boundary or ground equipment. Raising the height of the tower from 150 feet to 155 feet will be visually negligible and should not affect the WCF's compatibility with the neighborhood. All owners of property located within 200 feet of the site, all residents within 300 feet who could be identified and the Sturbridge and SWLR United for Progress Neighborhood Associations were notified of this request. ON SITE DRIVES AND PARKING: The site is accessed via a driveway off of Towne Oaks Drive. There is adequate space on the driveway to accommodate a technician visiting the site. 4. SCREENING AND BUFFERS: No Comments. April 3, 2003 ITEM NO.: 10 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z -6551-E 5. PUBLIC WORKS COMMENTS: No Comments. 6. UTILITY, FIRE DEPT. AND CATA COMMENTS: Wastewater: Sewer not required for project. Entergy: Approved as submitted. Reliant: No Comments received. Southwestern Bell: No Comments received. Water: No objection. Fire Department: Approved as submitted. County Planning: No Comments. CATH: Site is not located on a dedicated bus route and has effect on bus radius, turnout and route. SUBDIVISION COMMITTEE COMMENT: (MARCH 13, 2003) The applicant was not present. Staff noted that there were no comments since no change was being proposed to the site other than for the proposed 5' tower height increase. The Committee determined there were no other issues and forwarded the item to the full Commission. STAFF ANALYSIS: The Wireless Communication Facility (WCF) located on the C-3 zoned property at 901 Towne Oaks Drive consists of a 150 foot tall monopole tower and ground equipment within a 50 foot by 30 foot lease area. The site is enclosed by an 8 foot tall, wood privacy fence. The tower is currently utilized by three wireless providers. The tower site was first approved in July 1998. Subsequent approvals were granted in March 1999, July 1999 and July 2001 to allow collocation of other providers. On June 5, 2001, the Board of Directors passed Ordinance No. 18,503 granting a partial waiver of the landscape requirements. That ordinance required the installation of an 8 foot privacy fence on all four 2 April 3, 2003 ITEM NO.: 10 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z -6551-E perimeters of the WCF and of Landscaping on the west and north perimeters. The landscape requirement on the south and east perimeter was waived. Staff's inspections of the site has revealed that the landscaping has either died or never been installed. The applicant has been advised of this discrepancy. The applicant responded that the required landscaping will be installed immediately, possibly before the Commission meeting. The applicant, SBA Communications, is requesting approval to add 5 feet to the height of the tower, raising its total height to 155 feet. One of the wireless providers, Cingular, is located at the 148 foot level on the tower. Due to interference issues, Cingular needs to relocate their existing antennas to provide further separation from the other antennae on the tower. Since Cingular is at the top of the tower, there is a need to increase the tower height to accommodate the relocation. The tower addition will not guidelines. There will not be any alteration regarding the ground equipment at the base of the tower. Staff supports the requested tower use permit. Allowing the tower to be increased in height by 5 feet will be visually negligible and should not affect the tower's compatibility with the neighborhood. The tower has setbacks of 207+ feet on the north, 28+ feet on the east, 10+ feet on the south and 40+ feet on the west. The nearest residentially zoned properties are the MF -18 and MF -24 zoned properties located 260± feet to the north. If it has not already been completed by the Commission meeting, the WCF will have to be brought into compliance with the landscape provision of Ordinance No. 18,503 prior to a permit being issued for the tower modification. STAFF RECOMMENDATION, Staff recommends approval of the requested tower use permit subject to the site being brought into compliance with the landscape provisions of Ordinance No. 18,503 prior to a permit being issued for the tower extension. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (APRIL 3, 2003) The applicant was present. There were no objectors present. Staff presented the item and a recommendation of approval subject to the site being brought into compliance with the landscape provisions of Ordinance No. 18,503 prior to a permit being issued for the tower extension. There was no further discussion. The item was placed on the Consent Agenda and approved as recommended by staff. The vote was 8 ayes, 0 noes and 3 absent. 3