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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-6589 Staff AnalysisDecember 17, 1998 ITEM NO.: B NAME: LOCATION• OWNER/APPLICANT: PROPOSAL: ORDINANCE DESIGN STANDARDS: 1. Site Location: FILE NO.: z-6589 Telecorp Two Towers Road - Tower Use Permit 18401 Two Towers Road Deltic Farms and Timber Co./ Don Brown To obtain a tower use permit to allow for the placement of a 250 feet tall lattice type tower on the OS zoned property located at 18401 Two Towers Road. This site is located on the south side of the east end of Two Towers Road in between the last two existing tower sites, just inside the city limits. 2. Compatibility with Neighborhood: This site is located in an Open Space (OS) zone, on the east end of Two Towers Road. The area to the north and east is zoned R-2, Single Family Residential, but is currently undeveloped. South of this site by about 500 feet is an area zoned MF -12, Multi -family. Two Towers Road is a high ridge area just west of the city limits which contains a variety of tall towers for all kinds of communication systems. Near the proposed site AT&T has a self -supported, short microwave tower. This area is primarily a tower site and so this proposal is compatible with the area. 3. On -Site Drives and Parkin: A single access driveway is provided from Two Towers Road. Adequate parking for maintenance vehicles is provided on the site plan. 4. Screening and Buffers: No Comments. December 17, 1998 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO • B (Cont.) _FILE NO.: Z-6589 5. Public Works Comments: No issues. 6. utility and Fire Department Comments: Water: No objection. Wastewater: Sewer service not required. No Comment. Southwestern Bell: Approved as submitted. ARKLA: Approved as submitted. Entergy: No comments received. Fire Department: Approved as submitted. Pulaski County Planning: Approved as submitted. CATA: This site is not located on a CATA bus route. 7. Staff Analysis: The applicant is requesting a 250 foot tall lattice style, triangular tower, wireless communication facility on the east end of Two Towers Road. The area is zoned OS, Open Space, but it is not established as an undisturbed OS zone. It is zoned OS probably because of the terrain and to provide some separation between residential areas. Communication facilities are a permitted use in OS when it is not designated as an undisturbed area. Chapter 36, Article XII of the Code of Ordinances establishes development standards for wireless communications facilities. If the proposed facility conformed to all standards, it could be approved through a staff level review process. This proposed facility does not conform to the height restrictions of 150 feet. It also does not meet the required setback from residential property of at least the height of the tower. This tower would be only about 80 feet from residential property. The last issue which does not meet ordinance standards is the style of the tower. The ordinance prohibits self-supporting lattice towers. A variance would be required for all three issues. The applicant's justification for the height is to enable this one tower to accommodate up to four additional users. Telecorp's antennas will be at the 150 foot height. The 2 December 17, 1998 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: B Cont. FILE NO.: 17-6589 lattice structure will provide the strength to carry the additional users on this very exposed hilltop. Telecorp verified in writing that they did search unsuccessfully for alternatives to a new tower such as co - locating on an existing tower or attaching to an existing structure. Telecorp has agreed to construct this tower to support co -location of at least one other user as required in the Tower Ordinance. In this case they planned for up to four additional users. Staff believes this is a reasonable use of the property. Staff also supports the variance for the three issues where ordinance requirements are not met. 8. Staff Recommendation: Staff recommends approval of the requested tower use permit to allow a wireless communication facility with a 250 foot tall lattice support structure at this site subject to compliance with the following conditions: 1. Compliance with the development standards for WCF's in Section 36-593 of City Ordinances. 2. Constructing the structure to be capable of supporting at least one additional user. Staff also recommends approval of the variance to permit exceeding the 150 foot maximum height allowing a 250 foot height, having only a 80 foot setback from residential property, and installing a lattice style triangular tower. SUBDIVISION COMMITTEE COMMENT: (NOVEMBER 5, 1998) Don Brown was present representing the application. Staff briefly presented the item. The Planning Staff explained the three issues that caused the requirement to go through the T.U.P. process. There being no concerns, questions or further issues, the Committee accepted the proposal and forwarded the item to the full Commission for final resolution. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (DECEMBER 3, 1998) Don Brown was present representing the application. Staff received a letter on December 3 from the applicant requesting the 3 December 17, 1998 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: B (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z-6589 item be deferred to December 17, 1998, due to not having accomplished proper identification of a property owner. A motion was made to waive the Bylaw requirement for 5 business day notification prior to the public hearing. It passed by a vote of 7 ayes, 0 nays, and 4 absent. A motion was then made to defer this item until December 17, 1998 meeting. The motion passed by a vote of 7 ayes, 0 nays, and 4 absent. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (DECEMBER 17, 1998) Don Brown was present representing his application. There was one objector present. Staff presented the item with a recommendation for approval subject to compliance with conditions listed under "Staff Recommendation." Staff also recommended approval of the variance to permit exceeding the 150 foot maximum height and allow a 250 foot height, having only 80 foot setback from the residential property, and installing a lattice style triangular tower. Don Brown, the applicant, handed out to the commissioners a photo simulation of how the tower would look and then deferred further comment to respond to questions. Reverend Bill Martin, Vickar at St. Margaret's Episcopal Church, spoke in opposition to the proposal. His objection was to the shape and design of the tower which would make it more visible and unattractive than many of the other towers already there. Most of the commissioners asked questions and made statements regarding the following issues: The visibility of this tower in relation to others there; the possibility of coloring the tower so it would be less visible while keeping it visible enough to air traffic; the goal of collocation and how this tower would serve that goal; and, why the tower needed to be 250 feet tall and lattice style. Mr. Brown responded that they would be willing to color the tower so it would best blend in to the terrain. He added that the height and style would best support the goal and intent of the collocation issues in the ordinance. This height and style would enable one tower to safely serve up to four or five users and allow them to place almost any style antenna on this tower. In addition it would allow for simple single whip type antennas to also be placed on this tower in addition to the larger style antennas. 4 December 17, 1998 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: B (Cont. FILE NO.: Z-6589 A motion was made to approve the application as submitted to include staff recommendation and comments, and to approve the variance for the height, setback, and lattice style tower. The motion passed by a vote of 8 ayes, 0 nays and 3 absent. 5