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HomeMy WebLinkAboutFTC UNIFY SC1, WTE (VERIZON) - PDP - PDP170022 - CORRESPONDENCE - RESPONSE TO STAFF REVIEW COMMENTSPage 1 of 4 Community Development and Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue PO Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522 970.221.6750 970.224.6134 - fax fcgov.com/developmentreview July 19, 2017 Ryan Sagar Verizon Wireless 1196 Grant Street unit 313 Denver, CO 80203 RE: FTC Unify SC1 - Wireless Telecommunication Equipment, PDP170022, Round Number 1 Please see the following summary of comments from City staff and outside reviewing agencies for your submittal of the above referenced project. If you have questions about any comments, you may contact the individual commenter or direct your questions through the Project Planner, Kai Kleer, at 970-416-4284 or kkleer@fcgov.com. Comment Summary: Department: Engineering Development Review Contact: Sheri Langenberger, 970-221-6573, slangenberger@fcgov.com Topic: General Comment Number: 1 Comment Originated: 07/03/2017 07/03/2017: Ok, provided that all facilities and items are placed on private property and are not to be placed within public ROW. This looks to be the case as currently shown and indicated on the plans. All proposed elements will be on private property. Department: Environmental Planning Contact: Stephanie Blochowiak, 970-416-4290, sblochowiak@fcgov.com Topic: General Comment Number: 1 Comment Originated: 07/07/2017 07/07/2017: Environmental Planning has no comments at this time. Department: Light And Power Contact: Tyler Siegmund, 970-416-2772, tsiegmund@fcgov.com Topic: General Comment Number: 1 Comment Originated: 07/18/2017 07/18/2017: Light and Power has existing electric facilities along the rear alley adjacent to 185 N College Ave. There is an existing 3-phase 300 kVA transformer west of the building. Comment Number: 2 Comment Originated: 07/18/2017 07/18/2017: Will this project need a separate electrical service? Page 2 of 4 Verizon proposes to pull electric from the building. Comment Number: 3 Comment Originated: 07/18/2017 07/18/2017: If service is needed then electric capacity fees, development fees, building site charges and any system modification charges necessary to feed the site may apply. Please contact me for an estimate of charges and fees if new electrical service is needed. Comment Number: 4 Comment Originated: 07/18/2017 07/18/2017: Please contact Tyler Siegmund at Light & Power Engineering if you have any questions at 970.416.2772. Please reference our policies, construction practices, development charge processes, and use our fee estimator at http://www.fcgov.com/utilities/business/builders-and-developers Department: PFA Contact: Cal Sheesley, 970-416-2599, csheesley@poudre-fire.org Topic: General Comment Number: 1 Comment Originated: 07/17/2017 07/17/2017: WAYFINDING To aid in wayfinding, a sign indicating "ANTENNA ACCESS" shall be included on future plans. This sign shall be located at both of the proposed ladders. Per the FCC guidelines, Verizon is always required to post identification for the rooftop equipment. Signage has been noted in the revised drawings at both ladders. Department: Planning Services Contact: Kai Kleer, 970-416-4284, kkleer@fcgov.com Topic: Building Elevations Comment Number: Comment Originated: 07/06/2017 07/06/2017: Please indicate the proposed paint-to-match color. It’s Verizon’s intent to paint the new chimney Glidden Peach Puff (80YR72/159) or the closest similar color available at the time of installation. As such, the chimney would match the top level of the building. Comment Number: Comment Originated: 07/06/2017 07/06/2017: The Equipment Plan, North Elevation, and Line of Site drawings show two different antenna locations. The Line of Site drawing shows a 16' east and 15' north on-center location, the North Elevation shows 16' on-center from the east wall, and Equipment Plan shows on-center to be 10'x10'. Please indicate correct location on all documents and provide a measurements indicating location of equipment setback for all drawings. Drawings have been revised to reflect the accurate placement of the proposed chimney. Topic: General Comment Number: Comment Originated: 07/06/2017 07/06/2017: Page 3 of 4 Two new ladders are proposed on the west side of the building. Can the access be taken from the existing ladder? The ladder to get from the ground level to the 1st floor rooftop is currently installed on the south side of the building and is technically hovering over the adjacent property. Aside from the inherent access issue of crossing another parcel to get to the ladder, the ladder does not meet general safety codes. Therefore, Verizon has proposed to install a new ladder that meets current safety standards on the west wall of the building that can be accessed within the same property as the proposed equipment. The ladder to get from the 1st floor rooftop to the 2nd floor rooftop also does not meet general safety codes. At the request of the city, Verizon has explored and identified that it is possible for the 1st floor ladder to be installed further south on the west wall of the building. As such, we were also able to install the 2nd floor ladder in the same general location as the old 2nd floor ladder. These changes have been reflected in the revised drawings. Comment Number: Comment Originated: 07/06/2017 07/06/2017: The proposed 2'x3' fiber vault is shown in the approximate location of an existing mailbox. Can the fiber vault be located closer to the existing utility panels? The fiber vault is actually an underground installation so the placement of the vault will not affect any above ground items. The original drawings were misleading in that the existing mailbox was called out as the fiber vault. These changes have been reflected in the revised drawings. Topic: Site Plan Comment Number: Comment Originated: 07/06/2017 07/06/2017: As discussed in the pre-submittal meeting, the proposed equipment is not located as far from the edge of the roof as possible and will require a modification of standard 3.8.13(C)(3). When resubmitting please provide modification request explaining how your resubmittal will meet the general purpose of the standard in an equally well or better than way that a plan which meets the standard would. During a post-staff review phone call, we discussed this item in further detail. It was determined that our proposed design was misleading due to the notes regarding the future EME barrier to be determined and as required by the Federal Communications Commission. I believe this possible barrier and signage that would not be visible above the parapet walls made the proposed design seem much larger than we are actually proposing. Verizon is proposing a new chimney structure that will conceal an antenna inside. The chimney was proposed as the best way to limit the impact of our facility (concealment), while also keeping in context with other typical rooftop elements found throughout downtown. Photosims to depict this chimney have been included in this new submittal. These changes have been reflected in revised drawings. Department: Stormwater Engineering Contact: Dan Mogen, 970-224-6192, dmogen@fcgov.com Topic: General Comment Number: 1 Comment Originated: 07/06/2017 07/06/2017: The proposed rooftop additions do not trigger any Stormwater requirements. If future submittals include site changes that are not shown on these Page 4 of 4 plans, please contact Dan Mogen in Water Utilities Engineering at (970)224-6192 or dmogen@fcgov.com to coordinate and determine what requirements, if any, will apply. Department: Technical Services Contact: Jeff County, 970-221-6588, jcounty@fcgov.com Topic: General Comment Number: 1 Comment Originated: 07/17/2017 07/17/2017: All plan sheets must be 24"x36". A 24”X 36” set of drawings have been included for technical services review as well as (10) 11”X 17” drawings for the other department and review parties. Comment Number: 2 Comment Originated: 07/17/2017 07/17/2017: A legal description of the property where this equipment is located will need to be added to sheet T1. These changes have been reflected in revised drawings. Comment Number: 3 Comment Originated: 07/17/2017 07/17/2017: Some of the sheet titles in the sheet index do not match the sheet titles on the noted sheets. See redlines. These changes have been reflected in revised drawings. Comment Number: 4 Comment Originated: 07/17/2017 07/17/2017: There are line over text issues. See redlines. These changes have been reflected in revised drawings. Comment Number: 5 Comment Originated: 07/17/2017 07/17/2017: There are cut off text issues. See redlines. These changes have been reflected in revised drawings. Comment Number: 6 Comment Originated: 07/17/2017 07/17/2017: Please clarify the street referenced on sheet Z-4. See redlines. These changes have been reflected in revised drawings. Department: Water-Wastewater Engineering Contact: Dan Mogen, 970-224-6192, dmogen@fcgov.com Topic: General Comment Number: 1 Comment Originated: 07/06/2017 07/06/2017: It is assumed that no changes are proposed for water and sewer. Please contact Dan Mogen in Water Utilities Engineering at (970)224-6192 or dmogen@fcgov.com if changes are proposed. Department: Zoning Contact: Marcus Glasgow, 970-416-2338, mglasgow@fcgov.com Page 5 of 4 Topic: General Comment Number: 1 Comment Originated: 07/17/2017 07/17/2017: 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. 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. There is no proposed above ground, mounted wireless telecommunication equipment in this proposal. Proposed roof mounted equipment has either been screened by existing parapet walls or by the new chimney. The chimney will be painted Glidden Peach Puff (80YR72/159) or the closest similar color available at the time of installation in order to blend into the surrounding built environment. Comment Number: 2 Comment Originated: 07/17/2017 7/17/2017: To the extent reasonably feasible, the applicant shall employ "stealth technology" so as to convert the wireless telecommunication facility 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. By proposing a rooftop design (wireless telecommunications equipment), Verizon has mitigated the need for a free-standing structure (wireless telecommunication facility). Verizon knows that this particular location requires aesthetic sensitivity due to the historic nature of main street. As such, Verizon has employed stealth technology through the proposed new chimney to conceal the new antenna while also utilizing existing parapet walls to screen other proposed accessory equipment. Comment Number: 3 Comment Originated: 07/17/2017 07/17/2017: 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. The top height of the existing parapet wall is 35’-8”. The top height of the proposed chimney is 43’-9”. The proposed installation is well below the 15’ allowance. Additionally, because of the limited height of the installation, the visibility of the chimney from street view is also limited. This is better demonstrated in the completed photo simulations. Verizon was able to limit the height of the proposed chimney by placing the chimney closer to the edge of the roof. Due to the nature of wireless telecommunications signals, the further away from the edge of the roof the equipment is located, the higher the equipment needs to be. Verizon believes that our proposed location is meeting the intent of the standard in an equal to or better way because since we did not have to propose a structure that was 15’ or taller. Additionally, the proposed chimney will essentially become a part of the building’s overall character without the general public having direct visibility of any wireless telecommunications equipment.