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HomeMy WebLinkAboutVERIZON WIRELESS FACILITY, LIFEPOINTE CHURCH - PDP - PDP150022 - REPORTS - RECOMMENDATION/REPORT W/ATTACHMENTS (8)PLANNING OBJECTIVES VERIZON WIRELESS LIFEPOINTE CHURCH FTC SPRING MEADOWS DEVELOPMENT REVIEW FOR WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SITE PROJECT INFORMATION Applicant Information: Verizon Wireless (VAW) LLC, d/b/a/ Verizon Wireless, 3131 South Vaughn Way, Aurora, CO 80014 Representative: Greg DiBona, Leasing and Zoning Consultant, Centerline Solutions, 16360 Table Mountain Pkwy, Golden, CO 80403; (303) 993-3293 x381 Land Owner Information: The First Baptist Church of Fort Collins, 900 East Prospect Rd, Fort Collins, CO 80525; Contact – Steve Paxton (970) 484-4053 Engineering Firm Preparing Site Plan: TowerCom Technologies, LLC; 1745 Shea Center Dr, 4th Flr, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129; (303) 683-3194 Address of Project: 900 East Prospect Rd PLANNING OBJECTIVES Verizon Wireless proposes to develop a new telecommunications site, “Verizon Wireless FTC Spring Meadows,” at 900 East Prospect Road, on a Church located at the intersection of East Prospect Road and Ellis Street. The purpose of this site is to provide improved 4G-LTE voice and data capacity for Verizon Wireless customers in the area. The proposed site will be part of a continuous telecommunications network serving the greater Fort Collins area. Verizon Wireless has recently developed several sites within the City of Fort Collins and approval of this application will allow Verizon Wireless to meet its federally mandated obligations under the license granted by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) pursuant to the Telecommunications Act of 1996. The explosive growth of data usage from “smartphones” and similar devices has made it necessary to increase data capacity in densely populated areas. The proposed facility will address the need for additional capacity within the University Acres neighborhood and along East Prospect Road. The proposed site will include a total of six (6) panel antennas mounted to a non-penetrating tri-mount skid placed on the roof. The skid will be surrounded by 4 screen walls made of RF transparent material that will blend in with the building’s existing architecture. The existing cross will be replaced with one larger that is also made of RF transparent material. Samples of the material for the wall and cross have been provided. Electronic equipment associated with the antennas will be placed on the ground, behind the Church on the north side of the building. The equipment will be surrounded by wood fencing that will match the color of the existing building. The following pages provide detail regarding compliance with the City’s zoning requirements for Wireless Telecommunication Sites. LAND USE CODE SECTION 3.8.13 REQUIREMENTS FOR WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATION 3.8.13 Wireless Telecommunication (A) Location. Subject to the requirements of paragraph (B) of this Section, wireless telecommunication equipment may be attached to or mounted on any existing building or structure (or substantially similar replacement structure) located in any zone district of the city. Wireless telecommunication equipment shall not, however, be permitted to be attached to or mounted on any residential building containing four (4) or fewer dwelling units.  FTC Spring Meadows Proposal: The proposed design calls for antennas to be mounted on the roof. This building does not contain any dwelling units. (B) Co-location. 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. Wireless telecommunication facility owners or lessees or employees thereof shall cooperate in good faith to achieve co-location of wireless telecommunication facilities and equipment with other wireless telecommunication providers.  FTC Spring Meadows Proposal: Verizon Wireless will not act to exclude or attempt to exclude any other competitor from using the building for the location of future antennas or telecommunication equipment. (C) Standards. (1) Setbacks. With respect to a wireless telecommunication facility that is a tower or a monopole, the setback of the facility from the property lines shall be one (1) foot for every foot of height. However, to the extent that it can be demonstrated that the structure will collapse rather than topple, this requirement can be waived by the Director. In addition, the setbacks for ground- mounted wireless telecommunication equipment shall be governed by the setback criteria established in Articles 3 and/or 4.  FTC Spring Meadows Proposal: Not applicable – tower not being proposed. (2) Wireless Telecommunication Facilities. Whether manned or unmanned, wireless telecommunication facilities shall be consistent with the architectural style of the surrounding architectural environment (planned or existing) considering exterior materials, roof form, scale, mass, color, texture and character. Such facilities shall also be compatible with the surrounding natural environment considering land forms, topography, and other natural features. If such facility is an accessory use to an existing use, the facility shall be constructed out of materials that are equal to or better than the materials of the principal use.  FTC Spring Meadows Proposal: The proposed telecommunication facility is consistent with the architectural style of the existing Church. The roof mounted antennas will be completely concealed from view and the proposed concealment will be harmonious with the building’s existing architecture. Samples of the screening material have been provided as well as photo-simulations of the proposed installation. (3) Wireless Telecommunication Equipment. Wireless telecommunication equipment shall be of the same color as the building or structure to which or on which such equipment is mounted. Whenever a wireless telecommunication antenna is attached to a building roof, the height of the antenna shall not be more than fifteen (15) feet over the height of the building. All wireless telecommunication equipment shall be located as far from the edge of the roof as possible. Even if the building is constructed at or above the building height limitations contained in Section 3.8.17, the additional fifteen (15) feet is permissible. Whenever wireless telecommunication equipment is mounted to the wall of a building or structure, the equipment shall be mounted in a configuration as flush to the wall as technically possible and shall not project above the wall on which it is mounted. Roof- and ground-mounted wireless telecommunication equipment shall be screened by parapet walls or screen walls in a manner compatible with the building’s design, color and material.  FTC Spring Meadows Proposal: The proposal calls for a 15’ increase from the existing building height. The roof mounted facility will be screened on all 4 sides by 15’ stealth screen walls. (4) Landscaping. Wireless telecommunication facilities and ground-mounted wireless telecommunications equipment may need to be landscaped with landscaping materials that exceed the levels established in Section 3.2.1, due to the unique nature of such facilities. Landscaping may therefore be required to achieve a total screening effect at the base of such facilities or equipment to screen the mechanical characteristics. A heavy emphasis on coniferous plants for year-round screening may be required. If a wireless telecommunication facility or ground-mounted wireless telecommunication equipment has frontage on a public street, street trees shall be planted along the roadway in accordance with the policies of the City Forester.  FTC Spring Meadows Proposal: All antennas at this site will be mounted on the roof. The ground mounted equipment is proposed to be placed at the back of the Church surrounded by a wood fence to match the existing color of the building. The area surrounding the ground mounted equipment consists of a paved parking lot. (5) Fencing. Chain link fencing shall be unacceptable to screen facilities. Fencing material shall consist of wood, masonry, stucco or other acceptable materials and be opaque. Fencing shall not exceed six (6) feet in height.  FTC Spring Meadows Proposal: A 6’ wooden fence is proposed to be placed around the ground equipment. The fence will be painted to match the existing color of the building. (6) Berming. Berms shall be considered as an acceptable screening device. Berms shall feature slopes that allow mowing, irrigation and maintenance.  FTC Spring Meadows Proposal: No berming is proposed. (7) Irrigation. Landscaping and berming shall be equipped with automatic irrigation systems meeting the water conservation standards of the city. FTC Spring Meadows Proposal: No landscaping or berming is proposed; hence, no irrigation is required. (8) Color. All wireless telecommunication facilities and equipment shall be painted to match as closely as possible the color and texture of the wall, building or surrounding built environment. Muted colors, earth tones and subdued colors shall be used.  FTC Spring Meadows Proposal: Due to the equipment being screened from view, we believe that painting the equipment is unnecessary. (9) Lighting. The light source for security lighting shall be high pressure sodium and feature down-directional, sharp cut-off luminaries so that there is no spillage of illumination off-site. Light fixtures, whether freestanding or tower-mounted, shall not exceed twenty-two (22) feet in height.  FTC Spring Meadows Proposal: No security lighting is proposed for this facility. (10) Interference. Wireless telecommunication facilities and equipment shall operate in such a manner so as not to cause interference with other electronics such as radios, televisions or computers.  FTC Spring Meadows: The Verizon Wireless telecommunications site will not interfere with other electronic devices. (11) Access Roadways. Access roads must be capable of supporting all of the emergency response equipment of the Poudre Fire Authority.  FTC Spring Meadows Proposal: No new access roads are proposed at this site. (12) Foothills and Hogbacks. Wireless telecommunication facilities and equipment located in or near the foothills bear a special responsibility for mitigating visual disruption. If such a location is selected, the applicant shall provide computerized, three-dimensional, visual simulation of the facility or equipment and other appropriate graphics to demonstrate the visual impact on the view of the city’s foothills and hogbacks.  FTC Spring Meadows Proposal: Foothills or Hogbacks are not an issue for this site. (13) Airports and Flight Paths. Wireless telecommunication facilities and equipment located near airports and flight paths shall obtain the necessary approvals from the Federal Aviation Administration.  FTC Spring Meadows Proposal: The proposed wireless telecommunication equipment is not located near an airport or within a flight path. (14) Historic Sites and Structures. Wireless telecommunication facilities and equipment shall not be located on any historic site or structure unless permission is first obtained from the city’s Landmark Preservation Commission as required by Chapter 14 of the City Code.  FTC Spring Meadows Proposal: The subject property is not a historic site or structure. (15). Stealth Technology: To the extent reasonably feasible, the applicant shall employ “stealth technology” so as to convert the wireless telecommunication into wireless telecommunication equipment, as the best method by which to mitigate and/or camouflage visual impacts. Stealth technology consists of, but is not limited to, the use of grain bins, silos, or elevators, church steeples, water towers, clock towers, bell towers, false penthouses or other similar “mimic” structures. Such “mimic” structures shall have a contextual relationship to the adjacent area.  FTC Spring Meadows Proposal: This proposal employs stealth technology on the roof of the existing church. Essentially the roof is being extended 15’ with stealth screen walls on 4 sides and a new and a larger cross to match the taller roof profile. The screen walls and cross will consist of RF transparent material and will blend in with the building’s existing architecture. Photo-simulations of the proposal have been provided.