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Home My WebLink AboutKING SOOPERS (CEDARWOOD) WTE COLOCATION - BDR - 38-06/B - REPORTS - RECOMMENDATION/REPORTKing Soopers (Cedarwood) Telecom Wireless Equipment Co -location, Project Development Plan - #38-06B (Type I - Administrative Review) July 10, 2008 Page 7 ■ Full-sized plan set ■ Site photographs ■ Ordinance 122, 1996 of the Council of the City of Fort Collins ■ Section 106 letter King Soopers (Cedarwood) Telecom Wireless Equipment Co -location, Project Development Plan - #38-06B (Type I - Administrative Review) July 10, 2008 Page 6 intrusive than traditional triangular antenna arrays. A mimic structure was not appropriate in this location. The proposed design has been used successfully elsewhere in Fort Collins. 4. Article 4 — Districts Wireless telecommunication facilities are permitted in the Neighborhood Commercial District, subject to an Administrative Hearing. FINDINGS OF FACT / CONCLUSIONS After reviewing the King Soopers (Cedarwood) Telecommunications Wireless Equipment Co -location, Project Development Plan - #38-06B, staff makes the following findings of fact and conclusions: 1. The Project Development Plan complies with all applicable administrative standards contained within Article 2 of the Land Use Code. 2. The Project Development Plan complies with all applicable General Development Standards contained in Article 3 of the Land Use Code. 3. The Project Development Plan complies with all applicable district standards of Section 4.19 of the Land Use Code, NC —Neighborhood Commercial District. RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval of the King Soopers (Cedarwood) Telecommunications Wireless Equipment Co -location, Project Development Plan - #38-06B. ATTACHMENTS: 0 Zoning exhibit King Soopers (Cedarwood) Telecom Wireless Equipment Co -location, Project Development Plan - #38-06B (Type I - Administrative Review) July 10, 2008 Page 5 are needed to block the view, how tall the trees need to be to block the view and what species will be most suitable. During Final Plan review of the T-Mobile facility, the applicant met with staff and neighbors to coordinate the location and type of trees needed to screen the project sufficiently. The T-Mobile applicant coordinated buffer trees for both the T-Mobile proposal as well as what was then the future Verizon proposal. A total of 16 mitigation trees (10 austrian pines and 6 ponderosa pines) was approved on their final plan which has been recorded but not yet built. e. Fencing: A six-foot solid cedar fence is proposed to enclose the ground equipment; f. Lighting: Proposed lighting is fully shielded, down directional and mounted at 20 feet high on the pole. It will only be turned on in the case of an evening repair; g. Interference: The proposed facility will not interfere with other types of electronics or wireless providers. If there are problems, the Applicant will be responsible for repairing the equipment; h. Access Roadways: The adjacent service drive aisle is capable of supporting emergency response equipment of the Poudre Fire Authority; i. Foothills and Hogbacks: This proposal is not in or near the foothills; j. Airports and Flight Paths: The proposed monopole is not located near an airport or within a flight path; k. Historic Sites and Structures: The proposed equipment is not located on a historic structure, nor is the site located within a historic district. A Section 106 letter is attached; and I. Stealth Technology: The facility is designed with a stealth sheath cover for the array which is much less visually King Soopers (Cedarwood) Telecom Wireless Equipment Co -location, Project Development Plan - #38-06B (Type I - Administrative Review) July 10, 2008 Page 4 simulations and written justifications for the 50-foot monopole on which the proposed Verizon equipment will be co -located. The T-Mobile wireless facility was approved on September 19, 2007. The approved wireless facility on which this equipment is proposed to be co -located meets the review standards. The proposed Verizon equipment will occupy the section of the pole that is 30-40 feet tall. The T-Mobile equipment will occupy the section of the pole from 40-50 feet tall. B. Section 3.8.13, Wireless Telecommunication 1) Standards [Section 3.8.13 (C)]— a. Setbacks: The approved monopole will be set back from the existing residential property line to the southwest by more than 60 feet. The total height of the approved facility is 50 feet; b. Wireless Telecommunication Facilities: The equipment at the ground level will be screened by a six-foot cedar fence; c. Wireless Telecommunication Equipment: As noted above, the monopole will be painted desert tan to minimize visual impacts; d. Landscaping: This standard allows for landscaping requirements that exceed the general standards in Section 3.2.1 due to the unique nature of such facilities. In this case, there are adjacent residential backyards from which this tower and associated ground -mounted equipment will be visible. During the T-Mobile development review process, a condition was placed on the approval which read, "The Applicant shall provide coniferous trees on site to screen the adjacent properties from the visual impact of the tower. These trees must be irrigated and maintained by the applicant according to standard landscape requirements in Section 3.2.1 of the Land Use Code. Details of the tree plantings will be agreed upon between the Hearing Officer and Applicant after a study has been made by the Applicant. The study will show where trees King Soopers (Cedarwood) Telecom Wireless Equipment Co -location, Project Development Plan - #38-06B (Type I - Administrative Review) July 10, 2008 Page 3 Mobile's development review process on Monday, August 20, 2007 but included information about the Verizon co -location. Several neighbors attended this meeting. Notes from the meeting were sent subsequently to several other neighbors. Staff has not received any phone calls or emails about this proposal. 2. Article 2 — Administration The King Sooper's (Cedarwood) Telecom Wireless Equipment Co -location, Project Development Plan complies with the applicable requirements of the Land Use Code, including the procedural requirements located in Division 2.2 — Common Development Review Procedures for Development Applications; and Division 2.4 — Project Development Plan. 3. Article 3 — General Development Standards The King Sooper's (Cedarwood) Telecom Wireless Equipment Co -location, Project Development Plan complies with the applicable requirements of the Land Use Code, including those located in Division 3, General Standards. A. Section 3.5.1 Building Standards a. Purpose [Section 3.5.1 (A)] —The purpose of the building standards section is to ensure that the physical and operational characteristics of proposed buildings and uses are compatible when considered within the context of the surrounding area. This proposal meets the compatibility standards as described below. b. Color [Section 3.5.1 (F)]—The proposed tower will be painted a desert tan to match the King Sooper's building. Light tan shades have been shown to be the best color to minimize visual impacts. c. Building Height Review [Section 3.5.1 (G)]—Special Height Review/Modifications: The section establishes a special review process for buildings or structures which exceed 40 feet in height. The T-Mobile facility project submitted required photo- King Soopers (Cedarwood) Telecom Wireless Equipment Co -location, Project Development Plan - #38-0613 (Type I - Administrative Review) July 10, 2008 Page 2 COMMENTS 1. Background The surrounding zoning and land used are as follows: N: NC —Neighborhood Commercial District (existing commercial offices immediately to the north, Ram's Pointe and Ram's Park apartments across Elizabeth, with MMN—Medium Density Mixed -use Neighborhood District (existing Campus -oriented multifamily projects) beyond; E: NC —Neighborhood Commercial District (existing King Soopers grocery store in Cedarwood Shopping Center) with RL—Low Density Residential District (existing residential neighborhoods) beyond; S: RL—Low Density Residential District (existing residential neighborhoods); W: MMN—Medium Density Mixed -use Neighborhood District (existing multi -family housing). The Cedarwood Plaza site was annexed into the City between 1955 and 1964. As far back as records show, in 1965, this site was zoned D—Commercial. Aside from the gas station and what is now the Farmer's Table restaurant, the shopping center was built after the single family houses to the southwest of the parcel, though it was platted at the same time as the residential lots. The property was rezoned BL—Limited Business in 1976. In 1997, with the change to City Plan and the Land Use Code, the parcel was zoned NC —Neighborhood Commercial. The applicant originally proposed a separate monopole from the T-Mobile pole, but has since coordinated with T-Mobile to co -locate on the T-Mobile approved pole, which is not yet constructed. The proposed Verizon wireless equipment co -location includes equipment with a stealth sheath configuration to be located below T-Mobile's similar array on the same approved pole plus fenced ground -mounted equipment just to the northwest of the pole, across the service aisle. A neighborhood meeting was required for the T-Mobile project because the facility was proposed to be more than 40 feet high (50) in order to accommodate the then future co -location. The neighborhood meeting was held as a part of T- ITEM NO. j7 MEETING DATE STAFF�7 City of Fort Collins HEARING OFFICER STAFF REPORT PROJECT: King Soopers (Cedarwood) Telecom Wireless Equipment Co -location, Project Development Plan - #38-06B (Type I - Administrative Review) APPLICANT: Kelly Harrison Closser Consulting, representing Verizon 1917 Lowell Blvd. Denver, CO 80204 OWNER: Robert Perry and Associates 6500 S. Quebec St. Suite 300 Englewood, CO 80111 PROJECT DESCRIPTION: This is a request to co -locate Verizon stealth wireless telecommunication equipment on an approved T-Mobile 50-foot tall wireless monopole on the northwest corner of the Cedarwood Plaza building in a grassy area just off the service drive aisle, behind the King Sooper's grocery store. The site is located south of Elizabeth Street and west of Taft Hill Road. The property is zoned NC — Neighborhood Commercial District, which allows wireless telecommunication equipment co -locations, subject to a Type I review. RECOMMENDATION: Approval EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Wireless telecommunication equipment co -locations are permitted in the Neighborhood Commercial District, subject to an Administrative Hearing. This Project Development Plan (PDP) complies with the applicable Administrative and General Development standards and the Zone District standards of the NC — Neighborhood Commercial District. COMMUNITY PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES 281 N. College Ave. P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522-0580 (970) 221-6750 PLANNING DEPARTMENT