Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutFTC SAMS CLUB WTE VERIZON - BDR190006 - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 1 - PLANNING OBJECTIVESLRK CONSULTING ON BEHALF OF VERIZON WIRELESS March 11, 2019 Wireless-Telecommunications Equipment (Co-location) BDR Review: Planning Objectives Samclub Fort Collins Boardwalk SC located at 4700 E. Boardwalk, Parcel ID# 9601117001 OVERVIEW: Verizon Wireless wishes to submit an application for Wireless-Telecommunications Equipment that will be located on a one-story Sam’s Club building located along East Boardwalk and just south of Harmony Road. The installation of this new equipment will provide critical 4G-LTE voice and data services to the nearby neighborhood including improved indoor coverage of the Sam’s Club. Verizon has worked with the owner, Walmart Real Estate Business Trust, to provide community network improvements without the need for any new free-standing wireless facilities in the immediate area. The co-location of equipment on the building is a win-win for everyone since visual impact is limited. DESIGN: Specifically, my client proposes the installation of the following equipment: • (2) panel antennas on standoff mount to exterior wall of existing building (painted to match, not higher than wall it is mounted on, and as flush as technically possible to the wall) • (1) remote radio head and (1) over-voltage protection unit on unistrut mounted to interior wall of building (not visible to public) • (1) equipment cabinet mounted to exterior wall (painted to match) • (1) 30A, 2P, 15kVA transformer and panel (painted to match) • New underground fiber in 2" conduit from equipment cabinet to new underground fiber vault located near property line (no ROW work proposed) • New 2" conduit routed along ceiling within the existing building from existing electrical room to proposed transformer to provide power to new equipment • New 4" conduit routed along ceiling within the existing building between equipment cabinet, over-voltage protection unit, remote radio head, and antenna COMPREHENSIVE PLAN & WIRELESS CODE: In accordance with the Communications and Technology section of the City Comprehensive Plan, this new wireless equipment will provide citizens access to high-quality, reliable wireless service in a part of the city that faces significant coverage and capacity demands. Access to this improved service will continue to be a critical component for community interactions as well as economic growth now that 4G-LTE has become widely utilized and as the nation begins to transition into 5G capabilities that will usher in new smart city technologies. This private investment is a critical step towards maintaining the city’s wireless capabilities, which has quickly become the number one priority for most cohorts. LRK CONSULTING ON BEHALF OF VERIZON WIRELESS Furthermore, this design carefully took into consideration and meets the standards as outlined in Paragraph C Standards of Chapter 3.8.13 of the Municipal Code. Specifically, the proposed equipment utilizes existing building colors through paint to match techniques, is mounted as flush to the wall as technically possible, and does not project above the wall on which it is mounted on. It may appear that the antennas could be closer to the wall than what we have depicted. The antenna is currently 24” from the wall. This is unfortunately not the case because standoff mounts are necessary to physically be able to turn the antennas enough to meet the required directions for service improvements. This requires a minimum of a 12” gap when the wall is flat. This particular building has additional parapet moldings that cause the wall not to be flat thus bumping the gap even further apart. One alternative design option considered to avoid the parapet molding was to reduce the height of the antenna until it was below the molding. This was also an issue since the antenna was already lower than it needs to be (reducing performance). Lowering them further, even by 2’ to avoid the molding, would severely diminish the performance of this new small cell likely requiring another nearby small cell to be installed sooner than later. Nearby existing trees just west of the building would also present line of sight issues that would be worse with lower placed antennas. SUMMARY: Verizon is proposing this project based on capacity projections, actual use, and existing site thresholds identified during thorough analysis. The façade mount installation on this building will provide critical 4G-LTE voice and data services for the local businesses including inside the Sam’s Club, the traveling public, and emergency responders in the vicinity. The co-location of this equipment on the wall of the existing building is a great way to avoid any new freestanding wireless facilities, while still improving wireless services in the immediate area. Additionally, this new facility will help to offload users from other existing facilities by bringing nearby users onto a more localized location and subsequently improving those previously utilized facilities along the way. I look forward to working with your department as Verizon Wireless continues to invest in reliable, fast, and strong wireless services in Fort Collins now and in the future.