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Home My WebLink AboutVERIZON WIRELESS (2555 S. SHIELDS ST.), WTF - PDP/FDP - FDP130001 - REPORTS - RECOMMENDATION/REPORTVerizon Wireless at 2555 S. Shields St., FDP #130001 Administrative Hearing 6-5-13 Page 7 4. Compliance with Applicable Article 2, Administration Standards: The Verizon Wireless at 2555 S. Shields Street, Project Development Plan/Final 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; Division 2.4 — Project Development Plan, and Division 2.5 — Final Plan. 5. Neighborhood Meeting: The Land Use Code does not require a neighborhood meeting for Administrative (Type 1) Project Development Plans and no neighborhood meeting was conducted. 6. Findings of Fact / Conclusion: In reviewing and evaluating this Project Development Plan/Final Plan, Staff makes the following findings of fact and conclusions: 1. The Project Development Plan/Final Plan complies with all applicable administrative standards contained within Article 2 of the Land Use Code. 2. The Project Development Plan/Final Plan complies with all applicable General Development Standards contained in Article 3 of the Land Use Code. 3. The Project Development Plan/Final Plan complies with all applicable N-C, Neighborhood Commercial District Standards contained in Section 4.23 of the Land Use Code. RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval of the Verizon Wireless at 2555 S. Shields Street Project Development Plan/Final Plan, FDP#130001. ATTACHMENTS: • Attachment 1 — Vicinity Map • Attachment 2 — Project Plan Set • Attachment 3 — Photo Simulations • Attachment 4 — Hearing Notification Letter • Attachment 5 — Hearing Notice in Coloradoan Verizon Wireless at 2555 S. Shields St., FDP #130001 Administrative Hearing 6-5-13 Page 6 driveways and the location of utilities prevented additional landscape opportunities. 5) Section 3.8.13(8) —Color All roof equipment will be painted to match the color of the existing building. The equipment shelter and antenna screening enclosure will match the color and textures of the existing building. 6) Section 3.8.13(9) — Lighting One light is proposed on the new equipment shelter and will comply with the requirements of a high pressure sodium light source that is down -directional with sharp cut-off luminaries. 7) Section 3.8.13(10) — Interference The proposed wireless telecommunications equipment will not interfere with other types of electronics or wireless providers. If there are problems, the Applicant will be responsible for repairing the equipment. 8) Section 3.8.13(11) - Access Roadways The property takes access from a driveway off Raintree Drive serving the building loading dock. The driveway is capable of meeting the needs of response equipment for Poudre Fire Authority. 9) Section 3.8.13(12) - Foothills and Hogbacks This proposal is not in or near the foothills. 10) Section 3.8.13(13) - Airports and Flight Paths The proposal is not located near an airport or within a flight path. 11) Section 3.8.13(14) - Historic Sites and Structures The proposed wireless telecommunications equipment is not located on a historic structure, nor is the site located within a historic district. 12) Section 3.8.13(15) - Stealth Technology The wireless antennas will be hidden inside an antenna screening enclosure that will mimic the scale, shape, color and texture of the existing building. Verizon Wireless at 2555 S. Shields St., FDP #130001 Administrative Hearing 6-5-13 Page 5 5) Section 3.5.1(E) — Building Materials The new equipment shelter will be constructed of brick and stucco that will match the colors of the existing building and overall shopping complex. The antenna screening enclosure will be constructed of fiberglass bricks whose texture, color, and visual appearance will match the brick of the existing building and shopping complex. Both the equipment shelter and antenna screening enclosure will continue the visual theme of utilizing banded, vertical brick rows for additional architectural detail and interest. 6) Section 3.5.1(/) —Outdoor Storage Areas/Mechanical Equipment The new cable tray and condenser units, to be located on the roof of the equipment shelter, will be painted to match the existing color of the building and situated away from the edge of the roof and be screened by roof elements and mature, existing landscaping. B. Section 3.8.13 - Wireless Telecommunication Supplementary Regulations 1) Section 3.8.13 (A) and (B) — Location and Co -location The wireless telecommunication equipment includes a new ground -based equipment shelter and a new antenna screening enclosure located on the canopy roof of an existing structure. The Applicant has submitted documentation of good -faith attempts to co -locate with existing facilities in the vicinity without success. If approved, the Applicant may not prevent future telecommunication carriers from further co -locating upon this structure. 2) Section 3.8.13(C)(1) - Setbacks The new wireless telecommunications equipment does not feature a tower or monopole. The new equipment shelter and antenna screening enclosure meet the setback requirements established in Articles 3 and 4 of the Land Use Code. 3) Section 3.8.13(C)(3) — Wireless Telecommunication Equipment The proposed wireless equipment is of the same color, material and texture of the building to which it will be mounted. The height of the antennas is less than 15 feet over the height of the building and located as far from the edge of the canopy roof as possible. The roof -mounted antennas are screened with the use of a square screening enclosure designed to match the existing building. 4) Section 3.8.13(4) - Landscaping The new equipment shelter and antenna screening enclosure will utilize mature, existing conifer trees located to the north, south and west as screening. Existing Verizon Wireless at 2555 S. Shields St., FDP #130001 Administrative Hearing 6-5-13 Page 4 2) Section 3.5.1(B) -Architectural Character The proposed equipment shelter and antenna screening enclosure will feature a compatible architectural character with the existing building and retail shopping center through the utilization of similar colors, materials, textures and brick patterns. 3) Section 3.5.1(C) — Building Size, Height, Bulk, Mass, Scale The proposed equipment shelter and antenna screening enclosure feature a similar building size, height, bulk, mass and scale to the existing building, retail shopping complex, and adjacent developments. (a) Building Size, Bulk, Mass & Scale — The equipment shelter is contained within a recessed area north of the loading dock. The shelter will be constructed behind an existing angled brick wall. Its overall size, bulk, mass and scale are consistent with similar projections or recessed areas throughout the shopping complex. Due to the angled wall and existing landscaping, the equipment shelter will be hidden from most viewing angles. The antenna screening enclosure is situated on the canopy roof located over the existing building's loading dock. The length of each side of the enclosure is 15 feet; similar in scale to the wall and parapet segment articulations used throughout the existing structure. (b) Building Height — The equipment shelter is 12 feet 6 inches in height, and the new antenna screening enclosure sits on the canopy roof over the loading dock beginning at 16 feet in height and rising to 38 feet. This is 3 feet 9 inches higher than the tallest portion of the existing building's front parapet wall. The antenna screening enclosure's height is similar to the existing building and buildings in the multifamily development located to the west that feature maximum building heights of 40 feet. 4) Section 3.5.1(D) — Privacy Considerations The new equipment shelter and antenna screening enclosure are not designed for habitation. Technicians will be on -site only as needed. Both structures will be screened by mature, existing landscaping and no privacy issues are anticipated. Verizon Wireless at 2555 S. Shields St., FDP #130001 Administrative Hearing 6-5-13 Page 3 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 concerns 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. Compliance with Applicable Article 4, N-C, Neighborhood Commercial Standards: A. Section 4.23(B)(2)(e) — Permitted Uses The proposed wireless antennas, which are mounted on an existing building or structure that is used for some other purpose is classified as wireless telecommunications equipment, a permitted Type 1 use in the Neighborhood Commercial Zone District subject to administrative review and public hearing. B. Section 4.23(E)(2)(d) — Building Height The antenna screening enclosure reaches a height of 38 feet, which is below the maximum building height of 5 stories in this zone district. A story may be up to 25 feet in height, as defined by the Land Use Code. 3. Compliance with Applicable Article 3, General Development Standards: The Verizon Wireless at 2555 S. Shields Street Wireless Telecommunication Equipment, Project Development Plan/Final Plan, complies with the applicable requirements of the Land Use Code, including those located in Division 3, General Standards, as noted below. A. Section 3.5 - Building Standards 1) Section 3.5.1(A) -Purpose 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. Verizon Wireless at 2555 S. Shields St., FDP #130001 Administrative Hearing 6-5-13 Page 2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Wireless telecommunication equipment is permitted in the N-C, Commercial Zone District subject to a public administrative hearing. Project Development Plan/Final Plan (PDP/FDP) complies with Administrative and General Development Standards and the N-C, Commercial District Standards of the Land Use Code. COMMENTS: 1. Background The surrounding zoning and existing land uses are as follows: Neighborhood The combined the applicable Neighborhood N: N-C & M-M-N — Neighborhood Commercial & Medium Density Mixed -Use Zone Districts (Retail & the Fort Collins Senior Center) E: E — Employment Zone District (Single Family Home, Duplex & Assorted Commercial/Retail Uses) S: N-C & M-M-N — Neighborhood Commercial & Medium Density Mixed -Use Zone Districts (Retail & Multifamily Housing) W: M-M-N — Medium Density Mixed -Use Neighborhood Zone District (Multifamily Housing) Historically, the property (Parcel #s 97224-14-004 & 97224-15-002) was annexed into the City in September 1965 as part of the College Fourth Annexation. Both parcels are platted and are a part of the Raintree Commercial PUD, originally developed in 1985. The applicant, Verizon Wireless, has submitted documentation of attempts to collocate the telecommunications equipment at the following nearby properties or addresses: Market Centre Retail, 902 W. Drake Road Medical Office Facilities, 815 Centre Avenue & 909 Centre Avenue Fort Collins Senior Center, 1200 Raintree Drive Drake Road utility transmission poles Pharmaceutical Lab, 701 Centre Avenue 700 Centre Avenue 814 W. Drake Road 802 W. Drake Road In each circumstance, the execution of a successful lease agreement was not attainable. If approved, no wireless telecommunication facility or equipment owner or lessee or employee thereof shall act to exclude or attempt to exclude any other wireless telecommunication provider from using the same building, structure or location. ,`fiof t` Collins ITEM NO FDP #130001 MEETING DATE 6-5-13 STAFF Mounce ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING PROJECT: Verizon Wireless at 2555 S. Shields Street Project Development Plan/Final Plan, FDP#130001 APPLICANT: Verizon Wireless 3131 South Vaughn Way Aurora, CO 80014 LAND OWNER: Raintree Investments LLC 760 Whalers Way Unit A200 Fort Collins, CO 80525 APPLICANT'S Irene Cooke CONSULTANT Closser Consulting LLC PO Box 423 Tabernash, CO 80478 PROJECT DESCRIPTION: This is a request for the construction of new wireless telecommunication equipment at 2555 South Shields Street. The site is located northwest of the intersection of West Drake Road and South Shields Street on the west side of the existing Raintree Athletic Club building. The proposed telecommunications equipment consists of a new equipment shelter and fifteen (15) panel antennas to be hidden inside a screening enclosure designed to match the color and materials of the existing building. The screening enclosure will be located on the roof over the building's loading dock. The site is located in the Neighborhood Commercial (N-C) Zone District. Wireless telecommunications equipment is permitted in the N-C Zone District subject to administrative (Type 1) review and public hearing (Land Use Code, Section 4.23(B)(2)(e))• RECOMMENDATION: Approval Planning Services fcgov.com/developmentreview/ 281 N College Ave — PO Box 580 — Fort Collins, CO 80522-0580 970.221.6750