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HomeMy WebLinkAboutDRAKE CROSSING WTF - PDP - 19-10 - REPORTS - CORRESPONDENCE-HEARINGDrake Crossing Wireless Telecommunication Facility, Project Development Plan, #19-10 September 9, 2010 Administrative Hearing Page 8 ATTACHMENTS: ■ Vicinity/Zoning/Ariel Map ■ Plan set ■ Site photographs ■ Photo -simulations ■ Sherwin Williams color chip ■ Neighborhood Meeting Notes ■ Section 106 letter 0 Drake Crossing Wireless Telecommunication Facility, Project Development Plan, #19-10 September 9, 2010 Administrative Hearing Page 7 poles found in the parking lot. The proposed design has been used successfully elsewhere in Fort Collins. 4. Article 4 — Districts A. Division 4.23 of the LUC, Neighborhood Commercial Zone District Wireless telecommunication facilities are permitted in the Neighborhood Commercial District subject to an administrative (Type 1) review and hearing. The PDP meets the applicable Development Standards as follows: 1. Section 4.23(E) (1)(a) Overall Plan. The applicant has demonstrated that the development plan contributes to the existing development in the surrounding area in terms of street and sidewalk layout, building siting and character, and site design. FINDINGS OF FACT / CONCLUSIONS After reviewing the Drake Crossing Wireless Telecommunications Facility, Project Development Plan - #19-10, 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 4.23 of the Land Use Code, NC —Neighborhood Commercial District. RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends approval of the Drake Crossing Wireless Telecommunications Facility, Project Development Plan - #19-10. 7 Drake Crossing Wireless Telecommunication Facility, Project Development Plan, #19-10 September 9, 2010 Administrative Hearing Page 6 c. Wireless Telecommunication Equipment. As noted above, the monopole will be painted muted thyme evergreen to minimize visual impacts; d. Landscaping: No additional landscaping or screening at the base of the equipment is required due the location of the ground equipment adjacent to an existing landscaped area off a service drive aisle and located on an existing paved parking aisle, nor would such landscaping be effective. e. Fencing: A six-foot solid timber fence with brick columns on the corners to match existing is proposed to enclose the ground equipment; f. Lighting: Proposed lighting is fully shielded, down directional and mounted at 33 feet high on the pole; 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 intrusive than traditional triangular antenna arrays. Additionally, lights of similar quality were added on the structure in order to mimic other light 0 Drake Crossing Wireless Telecommunication Facility, Project Development Plan, #19-10 September 9, 2010 Administrative Hearing Page 5 iv. Neighborhood Scale: Though the proposed tower is not similar to the mass and scale of either the Safeway building or the adjacent single family residences,'it is compatible with them in that it is within the allowable height for the zone district and incorporates stealth technology so that it is not much more obtrusive than a light pole or other utility pole. v. Land Use Transition: This proposal may be considered to represent a significantly different visual character than the adjacent uses. Given that a gradual transition is not possible, the development plan shall, to the maximum extent feasible, achieve compatibility through adhering with the rest of the standards of this section, including color and operational standards, which this project has provided for as described below. B. Section 3.8.13, Wireless Telecommunication 1) Location and Co -location [Section 3.8.13 (A) and (B)--The wireless telecommunication equipment is proposed to be ground mounted within the NC —Neighborhood Commercial District. The Applicant made a good faith effort to co -locate with existing facilities in the vicinity with no success. If approved, the Applicant may not prevent future telecommunication carriers from further co -locating upon this structure. 2) Standards [Section 3.8.13 (C)]— a. Setbacks: The proposed monopole will be set back from the existing residential property line to the southwest by more than 60 feet. The total height of the proposed facility is 50 feet. A future co -location may be placed on this facility, assuming it meets all other standards. b. Wireless Telecommunication Facilities: The proposed monopole will be painted muted thyme evergreen, per staffs recommendation, in order to minimize visual impacts. The equipment at the ground level will be screened by a six-foot timber fence with brick columns on each corner to match existing; 5 Drake Crossing Wireless Telecommunication Facility, Project Development Plan, #19-10 September 9, 2010 Administrative Hearing Page 4 3. Article 3 - General Development Standards The Drake Crossing Wireless Telecommunication Facility, 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 and Project Compatibility 1) 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 noted below. This location also takes advantage of some existing mature tree cover for screening. 2) Color [Section 3.5.1 (F)]—The proposed tower will be painted a `dried thyme' (muted evergreen) to blend in with the surrounding mature evergreens and minimize visual impacts. 3) 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 applicant has submitted required photo -simulations which are attached. The proposed wireless facility meets the review standards including: Views: The tower is proposed to be located up against the western wall of the shopping center. Views of the foothills would be from the eastern side of the Safeway building, where the tower would not be visible. The view from the west to the east is of the back side of the Subway building and associated service aisle, which is already occupied by vehicles. ii. Light and Shadow: The proposed tower is approximately one foot in diameter and 50 feet tall. Shadows cast from this structure are not substantial enough to have an adverse impact on neighboring properties. iii. Privacy. Since the proposed tower is not habitable, no privacy issues will result. 4 Drake Crossing Wireless Telecommunication Facility, Project Development Plan, #19-10 September 9, 2010 Administrative Hearing Page 3 construction and design. They have also submitted a visual analysis, including photo - simulations of the tower, which are attached. The federal Telecommunications Act of 1996 restricts municipalities' ability to deny telecommunications equipment installations. A municipality may not deny a wireless facility because it does not want such development in the community or because of concems about negative health. consequences from radiation emitted by wireless facilities. Cities can stipulate in which zone districts wireless facilities are permitted. Fort Collins allows wireless telecommunications facilities only in zone districts which are primarily commercial, industrial or in public open lands. 2. Article 2 — Administration Drake Crossing Wireless Telecommunication Facility, 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 Drake Crossing Wireless Telecommunication Facility, Project Development Plan, #19-10 September 9, 2010 Administrative Hearing Page 2 COMMENTS: 1. Background The surrounding zoning and existing land uses are as follows: N: RL—Low Density Residential District (existing residential neighborhoods); E: RL—Low Density Residential District (existing residential neighborhoods); S: RL—Low Density Residential District (existing residential neighborhoods and Fort Collins Bible Church), with LMN—Low Density Mixed -Use Neighborhood District and MMN—Medium Density Mixed -Use Neighborhood District to the southeast (Pouder Fire Authority Building); W: RL—Low Density Residential District (existing residential neighborhoods). Historically, the property was annexed into the City in 1971 as part of the Brown Farm First Annexation. The property was originally platted in 1982 as part of the Drake Crossing Shopping Center PLID. This project first came in as T-Mobile Wireless Communication Facility at 2140 Valley Forge Ave. PDP-Type I, #13-09. That property changed ownership and the new owner did not want to proceed with this proposal. This site was finally decided upon after additional co -location attempts. Early on in the process, the applicant made a good faith effort to co -locate their facility on an existing AT&T wireless telecommunication facility at the King Soopers to the north, but the available pole height is not tall enough to accommodate T-Mobile's radio frequency requirements. They also made good faith efforts to locate the facility on other properties in the immediate area, including the Blevins Junior High School and Word of Life Lutheran Church. A neighborhood meeting was held for the T-Mobile project because previous wireless telecommunication facility project development plans in this area were contentious. The neighborhood meeting was held as a part of T-Mobile's development review process on Tuesday, August 17, 2010. Four neighbors attended this meeting and the meeting's notes were sent to all who attended and subsequently, to two other neighbors who called before the meeting to request notes in advance. Meeting notes are attached. The proposed wireless facility is a monopole with a stealth sheath configuration. The staff review meeting was scheduled for August 18, 2010. T-Mobile has taken future co - location opportunities into consideration, as illustrated by the projects siting, pole KI PROJECT: Drake Crossing Wireless Telecommunication Facility, Project Development Plan, #19-10 (Type I —Administrative Review) APPLICANT: T-Mobile 7901 E. Lowery Boulevard, Suite 300 Denver, CO 80230 LAND OWNER: Drake Crossing Retail Center, LLC 1901 Avenue of the Stars #855 Los Angeles, CA 90067 APPLICANT'S Chris Stryker CONSULTANT: Stryker Site Services, LLC P.O. Box 1558 Denver, CO 80201 PROJECT DESCRIPTION: This is a request for the construction of a new 50 foot wireless telecommunication pole and facility in the west parking lot of the Drake Crossing Retail Center, south of the service drive aisle, adjacent to Hampshire Road. The site is located north of West Drake Road and west of South Taft Hill Road. The proposed structure will resemble existing light poles in the surrounding area and also include a six (6) foot wood screening fence at the base. This site is zoned NC, Neighborhood Commercial District, and Wireless Telecommunication Facilities are permitted, subject to an administrative (Type 1) review and public hearing (Land Use Code, Section 4.23(B)(2)(e)3.). RECOMMENDATION: Approval EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Wireless telecommunication facilities 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.