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HomeMy WebLinkAboutVERIZON WIRELESS FACILITY, LIFEPOINTE CHURCH - PDP - PDP150022 - REPORTS - RECOMMENDATION/REPORT W/ATTACHMENTSAgenda Item 3 Item # 3 Page 1 STAFF REPORT February 11, 2016 Planning and Zoning Board PROJECT NAME VERIZON WIRELESS EQUIPMENT FACILITY AT LIFEPOINTE CHURCH PDP150022 STAFF Jason Holland, City Planner PROJECT INFORMATION PROJECT DESCRIPTION: This is a request to install new telecommunications equipment at Lifepointe Church located at the northwest corner of East Prospect Road and Ellis Street, at 900 East Prospect Road. The proposed site will include a total of six antenna structures mounted to a screen wall tower that is incorporated into building's existing architecture on the roof of the church. Additional electronic equipment associated with the wireless 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 site is located in the Low Density Residential (R-L) zone district. APPLICANT: Verizon Wireless (VAW) LLC, d/b/a/ Verizon Wireless, 3131 South Vaughn Way Aurora, CO 80014 OWNER: The First Baptist Church of Fort Collins (Lifepointe Church) 900 East Prospect Rd, Fort Collins, CO 80525 Contact – Steve Paxton (970) 484-4053 RECOMMENDATION: Approval EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The approval of the wireless telecommunication facility complies with the applicable requirements of the City of Fort Collins Land Use Code (LUC), more specifically: • The project complies with process located in Division 2.2 - Common Development Review Procedures for Development Applications of Article 2. • The project complies with the relevant Low Density Residential (R-L) District standards in Division 4.4 of the Land Use Code. • The project complies with the relevant standards located in Article 3 - General Development Standards. Agenda Item 3 Item # 3 Page 2 COMMENTS: Project Location Map: Agenda Item 3 Item # 3 Page 3 1. Background: The surrounding zoning and land uses are as follows: Direction Zone District Existing Land Uses North Low Density Residential (R-L) University Acres residential subdivision South Low Density Mixed-Use Neighborhood (L-M-N) Prospect at Spring Meadows East Low Density Residential (R-L) University Acres residential subdivision West Low Density Residential (R-L) Lesher Middle School • In 1957, the property was annexed as part of the Second College Addition. • In 1959, The Lifepointe Church property was platted as part of the University Acres Second Subdivision. 2. Compliance with Applicable Low Density Residential (R-L) District Standards: The designated use is Wireless Telecommunications Equipment, which is permitted in the R-L zone as an accessory use, subject to review and approval by the Planning and Zoning Board as a Type 2 use. No other R-L standards apply to the proposal. 3. Compliance with Article 3 of the Land Use Code - General Development Standards The project complies with all applicable General Development Standards with the following relevant comments provided: Section 3.8.13 - Wireless Telecommunication 3.8.13 (A) Location. The project is in compliance with this section, which allows wireless telecommunication equipment to be attached to or mounted on any existing building or structure (or substantially similar replacement structure) located in any zone district of the city, provided that the wireless telecommunication equipment is not attached to or mounted on any residential building containing four (4) or fewer dwelling units. 3.8.13 (B) Co-location. The project is in compliance with this section, which requires that wireless telecommunication facilities cooperate in good faith to achieve co-location of wireless telecommunication facilities and equipment. Any application for the approval of a plan for the installation of wireless telecommunication facilities or equipment shall include documentation of the applicant's good faith efforts toward such cooperation. The applicant has provided documentation that this proposed location is necessary in order to improve wireless coverage in the area. 3.8.13(C)(1) Setbacks. The project is in compliance with this section, which requires that the setbacks for ground-mounted wireless telecommunication equipment shall be governed by the setback criteria established in Articles 3 and/or 4. The project proposes a screened equipment area adjacent to the north side of the church within the interior portion of the property. The minimum front setback in the R-L zone is 20 feet along East Prospect and 15 feet along Ellis and Lake Streets, and the proposal is well within these setbacks. 3.8.13(C)(3) Wireless Telecommunication Equipment. The tower projects approximately 12 feet above the existing roofline in compliance with this section, with materials and colors that match the building. This section requires that wireless telecommunication equipment mounted on the roof be screened by parapet walls or screen walls in a manner compatible with the building's design, color and material. Additionally, whenever a wireless telecommunication antenna is attached to a building roof, the height of the antenna Agenda Item 3 Item # 3 Page 4 shall not be more than 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. 3.8.13(C)(4) Landscaping. The project is in compliance with this section. No landscaping is proposed or required because the ground-mounted equipment is located behind a fence and incorporated within the rear service area of the main building. Additionally, if the wireless telecommunication equipment has frontage on a public street, street trees are required to be planted along the roadway in accordance with the policies of the City Forester. In this case, the equipment area is located at the rear of the building with no direct street frontage, and therefore the street tree requirement is not applicable to the project. 3.8.13(C)(5) Fencing. The project is in compliance with this section, which prohibits chain link fencing to screen the equipment area and requires that the fencing material shall consist of wood, masonry, stucco or other acceptable materials and be opaque. Fencing shall not exceed six (6) feet in height. The fencing proposed is 6 feet in height and shall be painted to match the building. 3.8.13(C)(8) Color. The project is in compliance with this section which requires that the wireless telecommunication equipment be painted to match as closely as possible the color of the surrounding building using neutral, earth tone colors. 3.8.13(C)(15) Stealth Technology. The project is in compliance with this section. By integrating the wireless telecommunication equipment into a new church tower, the applicant employs "stealth technology" as the best method by which to mitigate and/or camouflage the project’s 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. 4. Neighborhood Meeting A City neighborhood meeting was held on March 4, 2015 at Lifepointe Church. Meeting minutes are attached. The major issues that were conveyed in included:  One of the biggest issues expressed was not related to the wireless facility, but was related to existing issues on the church property. This included very bright, unshielded spotlights mounted on the building roof, facing outward towards the surrounding streets and homes, as well as old tires and multi-colored sheds stored in the center of the site. These issues have been addressed by the church staff.  The plan presented at that time included a large pre-fabricated equipment building along the Ellis Street frontage. Residents expressed strong concern that the building was unattractive and seemed out of place. The building was removed from the plans and the equipment is now incorporated behind a wood fence adjacent to the back of the church. The backup generator and gas tank storage are also no longer proposed.  The stealth tower used to screen the wireless equipment was only three-sided, with the back north-facing portion exposed. The plans now show this as screened with the same materials used for the other three sides.  Residents were concerned that no street trees or landscape screening would be provided along Ellis Street adjacent to the equipment building. Because the equipment building was eliminated from the proposal, the landscape requirement is no longer applicable. Agenda Item 3 Item # 3 Page 5 5. Findings of Fact When considering the Verizon Wireless Equipment Facility at Lifepointe Church Project Development Plan PDP150022, staff makes the following findings of fact: A. The PDP complies with the process located in Division 2.2 - Common Development Review Procedures for Development Applications of Article 2 - Administration. B. The PDP complies with the relevant Low Density Residential (R-L) District standards in Division 4.4 of the Land Use Code. C. The PDP complies with the relevant standards located in Article 3 - General Development Standards. RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends Planning and Zoning Board approval with the following motion: Approval of the Verizon Wireless Equipment Facility at Lifepointe Church Project Development Plan PDP150022 based on the Findings of Fact on page 5 of the staff report. ATTACHMENTS 1. Applicant's Planning Objectives (PDF) 2. Co-location Statement (PDF) 3. Neighborhood Meeting Notes (PDF) 4. Photo Simulation (PDF) 5. Site and Elevation Plans (PDF)