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Home My WebLink AboutPOUDRE VALLEY PLAZA WTF (AT&T) - PDP - 6-09 - REPORTS - RECOMMENDATION/REPORTPoudre Valley Plaza/AT&T Wireless Telecommunications Facility, Project Development Plan - #6-09 Administrative Review March 5, 2009 Page 5 (11) Access Roadways: The adjacent parking lot drive aisles are capable of supporting repair equipment and emergency response equipment of the Poudre Fire Authority. (12) Foothills and Hogbacks: This proposal is not in or near the foothills. (13) Airports and Flight Paths: The proposed monopole is not located near an airport or within a flight path. (14) Historic Sites and Structures: The proposed facility is not located on a historic structure, nor is the site located within a historic district. (15) Stealth Technology: The facility is designed with a stealth sheath cover for the array which is much less visually intrusive than traditional triangular antenna arrays. A mimic structure was not appropriate in this location. The proposed design has been used successfully elsewhere in Fort Collins. 4. Article 4 — Districts Division 4.23 Neighborhood Commercial (NC) - Wireless telecommunication facilities are permitted in the NC, Neighborhood Commercial District, subject to an Administrative Hearing. FINDINGS OF FACT / CONCLUSIONS After reviewing the Poudre Valley Plaza/AT&T Wireless Telecommunications Facility, PDP, staff makes the following findings of fact and conclusions: 1. The Project Development Plan complies with all applicable administrative standards contained within Article 2 of the Land Use Code. 2. The Project Development Plan complies with all applicable General Development Standards contained in Article 3 of the Land Use Code. 3. The Project Development Plan complies with all applicable district standards of Division 4.23 of the Land Use Code, Neighborhood Commercial District (NC). RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval of the Poudre Valley Plaza/AT&T Wireless Telecommunications Facility, Project Development Plan - #6-09. Poudre Valley Plaza/AT&T Wireless Telecommunications Facility, Project Development Plan - #6-09 Administrative Review March 5, 2009 Page 4 facilities in other locations within the vicinity with no success. If approved, the Applicant may not prevent future telecommunication carriers from further co -locating upon this structure. Standards [Section 3.8.13 (C)] - (1) Setbacks: The proposed monopole will be set back from the Century Drive right-of- way (the east property line) by 120 feet and from West Horsetooth Road right-of- way (the north property line) by 85 feet. The total height of the proposed facility is 55 feet, which requires a 55 foot setback from property lines. A future co -location may be placed on this facility, assuming it meets all other standards. (2) Wireless Telecommunication Facilities: The proposed monopole will be painted a green to match adjacent parking lot poles or a tan to match the primary color of the buildings in Poudre Valley Plaza in order to minimize visual impacts. The equipment at the ground level will be screened by a 6 foot high solid CMU wall with stone veneer that will match the existing buildings exteriors. (3) Wireless Telecommunication Equipment: Not applicable. (4) Landscaping: Landscaping around the exterior of the enclosure will be provided. In addition, a missing shade tree along the east property line will be replaced. (5) Fencing: As mentioned, a 6 foot high solid fence, with a stone veneer, will enclose the ground equipment. (6) Berming: Not applicable. (7) Irrigation: Not applicable. (8) Color. The proposed tower will be painted a green to match adjacent parking lot poles or a tan to match the primary color of the buildings in Poudre Valley Plaza. The equipment enclosure building will be of a stucco finish, painted to match the existing buildings in the center. The partial 6 foot high wall enclosure will have a stone veneer to match a similar material on the existing buildings in the center. The materials and colors proposed are intended to minimize visual impacts to the surrounding residential neighborhoods. (9) Lighting: Not applicable. (10) Interference: The proposed facility will not interfere with other types of electronics or wireless providers. If there are problems, the Applicant will be responsible for repairing the equipment. Poudre Valley Plaza/AT&T Wireless Telecommunications Facility, Project Development Plan - #6-09 Administrative Review March 5, 2009 Page 3 Color [Section 3.5.1 fl] - The proposed tower will be painted a green to match adjacent parking lot poles or a tan to match the primary color of the buildings in Poudre Valley Plaza. The equipment enclosure building will be of a stucco finish, painted to match the existing buildings in the center. The partial 6 foot high wall enclosure will have a stone veneer to match a similar material on the existing buildings in the center. The materials and colors proposed are intended to minimize visual impacts to the surrounding residential neighborhoods. Building Height Review [Section 3.5.1 (G)] - Special Height Review/Modifications: The section establishes a special review process for buildings or structures which exceed 40 feet in height. The proposed wireless facility meets the review standards including: Views: The tower is proposed to be located at the northeast corner of the Poudre Valley Plaza center. The only potentially affected views of the foothills would be from the residential neighborhood approximately 200 feet to the east. The residences most affected are oriented to the east, and contain very few windows facing west, so the proposed tower would not interfere significantly with these views. Light and Shadow: The proposed tower is 20 inches (the lower 33 feet) to 30 inches (the upper 22 feet) in diameter and 55 feet tall. Shadows cast from this structure are not substantial enough to have an adverse impact on neighboring properties. Privacy: Since the proposed tower is not habitable, no privacy issues will result. Neighborhood Scale: Though the proposed tower is not similar to the mass and scale of either the office buildings in Poudre Valley Plaza or the residential structures in the surrounding neighborhoods, it is compatible with them in that it is within the allowable height for the zone district (5 stories) and incorporates stealth technology so that it is not much more obtrusive than a light pole or other utility pole. Land Use Transition [Section 3.5.1(H)]: Given that a gradual transition is not possible, the development plan shall to the maximum extent feasible achieve compatibility through compatibility with the rest of the standards of this section, including color and operational standards, which this project has provided for as described below (in Section 3.8.13). Section 3.8.13, Wireless Telecommunication Location and Co -location [Section 3.8.13 (A) and (B) - The wireless telecommunication facility, including tower, is proposed to be ground mounted within the NC, Neighborhood Commercial District. The Applicant made a good faith effort to locate with these proposed Poudre Valley Plaza/AT&T Wireless Telecommunications Facility, Project Development Plan - #6-09 Administrative Review March 5, 2009 Page 2 COMMENTS 1. Background The surrounding zoning and existing land uses are as follows: N: MMN, Medium Density Mixed -Use Neighborhood; (existing residential) S: NC, Neighborhood Commercial and MMN, Medium Density Mixed -Use Neighborhood; (existing commercial uses, existing residential) E: RL, Low Density Residential; (existing residential) W: NC, Neighborhood Commercial and UE, Urban Estate; (existing commercial uses, existing residential) 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. Article 2 — Administration The Poudre Valley Plaza/AT&T Wireless Telecommunications Facility 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; and Division 2.4 — Project Development Plan. 3. Article 3 — General Development Standards The Poudre Valley Plaza/AT&T Wireless Telecommunications Facility complies with the applicable requirements of the Land Use Code, including those located in Division 3, General Standards, as noted below. Section 3.5.1, Building Standards Purpose [Section 3.5.1 (A)] - 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. of F�`o�rt� Collins i fEM NO MEETING DATEerrb► Ci. 2DD�l STAFF{pl-�e�,n QL-� HEARING OFFICER PROJECT: Poudre Valley Plaza/AT&T Wireless Telecommunications Facility, Project Development Plan - #6-09 APPLICANT: TerraTecTonics, for AT&T Mobility c/o Michael /Matzko P.O. Box 3600 Avon, CO 81620 OWNER: Poudre Valley Holdings LTD, LLLP 1027 West Horsetooth Road Fort Collins, CO 80526 PROJECT DESCRIPTION: This is a request to construct a wireless communications facility in the parking lot at the northeast corner of the Poudre Valley Plaza Center. The proposed facility would contain a 55 foot high monopole, 20 inches in diameter, with antennas in a sheath 30 inches in diameter on the upper 22 feet of the pole. There would be an equipment enclosure building, 11 feet 6 inches high, partially enclosed in a 6 foot high solid wall at the base of the pole. The center is located at the southeast corner of West Horsetooth Road and South Shields Street and is in the NC, Neighborhood Commercial Zoning District. Wireless telecommunications facilities are permitted in this District subject to compliance with standards set forth in Section 3.8.13 of the City's Land Use Code and development review and public hearing in front of a Hearing Officer. RECOMMENDATION: Approval EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Wireless telecommunication facilities are permitted in the NC, Neighborhood Commercial District, subject to an Administrative Hearing.. This Project Development Plan (PDP) complies with the applicable General Development standards of 3.8.13 and the zone district standards of the Neighborhood Commercial District. Current Planning 281 N College Av PO Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522-0580 fcgov.com/currentplanning 970.221.6750