HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo - Mail Packet - 9/13/2022 - Memorandum From Will Lindsey Re: August 23, 2022 Work Session Summary: Wireless Telecommunications Code Update
Community
Development &
Neighborhood
Services
Planning & Development
Services
281 North College Avenue
P.O. Box 580
Fort Collins, CO
80522.0580
970.221.6376
970.224.6111- fax
M E M O R A N D U M
Date: September 8, 2022
To: Mayor and City Councilmembers
Thru: Kelly DiMartino, City Manager
Tyler Marr, Interim Deputy City Manager
Caryn Champine, Director of Planning, Development and Transportation
Paul Sizemore, Director of Community Development and Neighborhood Services
From: Will Lindsey, City Planner
Re: August 23, 2022 Work Session Summary: Wireless Telecommunications Code Update
On August 23, 2022 City Planners, Will Lindsey and Kai Kleer, presented on the status and key policy
questions for the ongoing Wireless Telecommunications Code Update. This Code Update is part of the
implementation of the Wireless Telecommunications Master Plan which was adopted in October 2021.
The purpose of the presentation and discussion was to obtain feedback and direction from Council on
potential changes to the Land Use Code to ensure they align with the objectives of the recently adopted
Plan and address feedback received from Council at the January 25th Work Session.
Specifically, staff was asking Council the following:
1. Should wireless facilities be permitted on non-residential properties in residential zone districts?
2. Should certain City-owned properties be available for the siting of wireless telecommunication
facilities?
3. -based standards to regulate facility
design?
questions is summarized below:
1. Should wireless facilities be permitted on non-residential properties in residential zone districts?
Support from Council
permitted provided that the contextual-based standards for facility design are found to be
adequate at the time the item comes back for first reading. Council was generally
supportive of permitting towers on non-residential properties in the LMN, MMN, and HMN
zone districts at minimum as staff analysis highlighted those areas as having significant
coverage and capacity issues.
2. Should certain City-owned properties be available for the siting of wireless telecommunication
facilities?
Support from Council to explore this option as a means for addressing some coverage
and capacity gaps. There was a recognition that even with non-residential properties in
residential zone districts being available to site towers, sometimes parks, golf courses, or
other City-owned properties might be the only viable option. Council expressed a desire
that open spaces and natural areas not be part of this consideration.
3. -based standards to regulate facility
design?
Strong support from Council to use an enhanced context-based approach for tower
design. Council expressed a preference for this method of regulating design as it seems
the most flexible compared to more prescriptive design requirements to regulate height,
color, material, etc.
Overall, Council was supportive of the potential policies and direction of the Code Update.
Next steps following the work session discussion include:
Staff to obtain feedback on the three questions from the Planning & Zoning Commission at the
September 9th Work Session.
Staff to move forward with drafting changes to the Land Use Code as they relate to the policy
questions posed to Council.
Staff to bring Code update to Council for adoption in Q4 2022.