HomeMy WebLinkAboutCINGULAR, TAFT HILL & ELIZABETH (CEDARWOOD PLAZA) WTF - PDP - 31-03A - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 1 - WTE / WTF INFORMATIONTo: Anne Aspen
City Planner
City of Fort Collins
From: Michael Matzko
New Cingular Wireless PCS
Re: Determination of location of WTF at Cedarwood Plaza
This is a brief overview of the process used by New Cingular Wireless PCS for finding a suitable
location for the wireless telecommunications facility proposed for Cedarwood Plaza at 1015
South Taft Hill Road, Fort Collins.
As the attached coverage map shows, this site near the eastern edge of an area with marginal
celluar coverage (indicated in green). In that area, cellular service to Cingular customers is not
reliably available in buildings or vehicles. In addition to improving the coverage of Cingular's
cellular network, this site will also improve the capacity of the existing network as demand
(driven by residential and commercial development) in the area increases.
Cellular facilities, particularly in urban areas, are tending toward smaller and relatively low -
power facilities, rather than 100+ foot high towers more commonly seen in the past and in rural
areas. Coverage areas of urban sites (such as Cedarwood Plaza) are typically in the Y2 to 3 mile
range. Each site must also effectively interact with adjacent sites, allowing a seamless "handoff'
from one site to the next as cellular users travel through an area, and managing varying capacity
requirements throughout the day. Relatively low power plus factors such as terrain, large
buildings, trees, and local government design regulations significantly influence the placement
each facility.
In the area of Cedarwood Plaza, there are relatively few sites that are physically capable of
IN supporting an effective facility. Alternative sites considered included churches and commercial
buildings. In each case, either there was not sufficient land available for the ground -mounted
equipment, existing buildings (as in the churches) did not allow sufficient room for the number
of antennae required by the facility, the landlord was not willing to commit to a long-term lease.
With regard to Cedarwood plaza, the landlord was specific as to the location on the site, and
would not allow a rooftop installation.
The proposed site is somewhat limited by surrounding trees and the design of the tower;
however, given the lack of reasonable alternatives, it represents the best available site to address
coverage and capacity needs in Cingular's celluar network.
Please feel free to call me at (970) 471-5320 if you have any questions about this matter.