11SN0235CASE MANAGER: Robert Clay
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BS Time Remaining:
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STAFF' S
REQUEST ANALYSIS
AND
RECOMMENDATION
11 SN023 5
August 24, 2011 BS
Pegasus Tower Development Company, LLC
Matoaca Magisterial District
Northwest line of Woolridge Road
RE VEST: Conditional use approval to permit a communications tower in a Residential (R-
25)District.
PROPOSED LAND USE:
A 154-foot communications tower and associated improvements are planned.
Since the tower would not meet the restrictions for towers in a Residential (R-25)
District, conditional use approval is required.
PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION
RECOMMEND APPROVAL AND ACCEPTANCE OF THE PROFFERED CONDITIONS ON
PAGES 2 AND 3.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Recommend approval for the following reasons:
A. The proposal conforms to the Public Facilities Plan which suggests sites with
existing mature vegetation or topographical features which provide screening are
preferred due to their natural ability to mitigate visual and noise impacts.
B. The proposal conforms to the Tower Siting Policy which suggests if towers are to
be located in the vicinity of existing or planned areas of development the tower
should be located on property that is densely wooded with mature vegetation.
(NOTES: A. CONDITIONS MAY BE IMPOSED OR THE PROPERTY OWNER
MAY PROFFER CONDITIONS. CONDITIONS NOTED WITH
Providing a FIRST CHOICE community through excellence in public service
"STAFF/CPC" WERE AGREED UPON BY BOTH STAFF AND THE
COMMISSION.
B. UNDER THE FEDERAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS ACT,
LOCALITIES CANNOT REGULATE CELL TOWERS ON THE BASIS
OF POSSIBLE HEALTH OR ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF
RADIO FREQUENCY EMISSIONS.)
PROFFERED CONDITIONS
(STAFF/CPC) 1. There shall be no signs permitted to identify this use. (P)
(STAFF/CPC) 2. The tower will be located on the property as set forth on the tower
location plan prepared by BC architects engineers drawn 3/28/11.
(P)
(STAFF/CPC) 3. The base of the tower shall be enclosed by a minimum six (6) foot
high fence, designed to preclude trespassing. The fence shall be
placed so as to provide sufficient room between the fence and the
property line to maintain a tree preservation area of at least 50 feet
in each direction, such buffer to be comprised of existing trees at
the site and to provide screening of the base of the tower and
accessory ground equipment from adjacent properties. The buffer
may be inclusive of setbacks. A detailed plan depicting this
requirement shall be submitted to the Planning Department for
approval in conjunction with final site plan review. No trees within
the tree preservation area shall be removed unless such trees are
dead, diseased, or dying, or must be removed in order to locate
utilities or the access road. (P)
(STAFF/CPC) 4. The color, design and lighting system for the tower shall be as
follows:
a. The tower shall be gray or another neutral color, acceptable
to the Planning Department.
b. The tower shall not be lighted.
c. The tower shall be a monopole structure with an external
flush mount design. (P)
(STAFF/CPC) 5. Any building or mechanical equipment shall comply with Sections
19-595 and 19-570 (b) and (c) of the Zoning Ordinance relative to
architectural treatment of building exteriors and screening of
mechanical equipment. (P)
2 11SN0235-AUG24-BOS-RPT
(STAFF/CPC) 6. The tower shall not exceed a height of 154 feet. The monopole
shall not exceed 150 feet, and any lightning rod affixed to it shall
not exceed 4 feet. (P)
(STAFF/CPC) 7. At such time that the tower ceases to be used for communications
purposes for a period exceeding twelve (12) consecutive months,
the owner/developer shall dismantle and remove the tower and all
associated equipment from the property. (P)
GENERAL INFORMATION
Location:
The request property is located on the west line of Woolridge Road, north of Red Fern
Court, and is better known as 5000 Woolridge Road. Tax ID 717-681-8129.
Existing Zoning:
R-25
Size:
4 acres
Existin Land Use:
Single-family residential
Adjacent Zoning and Land Use:
North and West - R-25; Vacant
South - A; Single-family residential
East - R-9; Single-family residential
UTILITIES AND TRANSPORTATION
This request will have no impact on these facilities.
ENVIRONMENTAL
Drainage and Erosion:
The subject property drains to the north, via overland sheet flow, to Swift Creek Reservoir.
There are currently no known on- or off site drainage or erosion problems and none are
anticipated after development.
3 11SN0235-AUG24-BOS-RPT
If the access road and the site disturb more than 2,500 square feet, a land disturbance permit
must be obtained from the Department of Environmental Engineering.
A Resource Protection Area Designation (RPAD) application was submitted to the Water
Quality Section for renew and approval. Analysis of this application confirmed the presence
of an RPA as depicted on plans submitted with the zoning application.
Fire ~ervice~
The Swift Creek Fire Station, Company Number 16, currently provides fire protection
and emergency medical service (EMS). This request will have a minimal impact on Fire
and EMS.
Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT~:
A VDOT approvable private entrance designed and constructed with appropriate sight
distances shall be provided, with sufficient off street depth to contain service vehicles prior
to any access gate that may be installed to the access driveway.
COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS
The Zoning Ordinance requires that any structure over eighty (80) feet in height be reviewed by
the County's Public Safety Review Team for potential detrimental impacts the structure could
have on the County's Radio Communications System microwave paths. This determination must
be made prior to construction of the communications tower.
COUNTY AIRPORT
A preliminary review of this proposal indicates that, given the approximate location and
elevation of the proposed installation, there will be no adverse affect on the County Airport.
T,ANT~ TIFF,
Comprehensive Plan:
The subject property is located within the boundaries of the Upper Swift Creek Plan
Amendment which suggests the property is appropriate for residential use of 2.0 units/acre
or less.
The Public Facilities Plan, an element of the Comprehensive Plan, suggests that
communications tower locations should generally be located to minimize the impact on
existing or future areas of development. Also, the Tower Siting Policy suggests that
towers in the vicinity of existing or planned areas of development should be
architecturally incorporated in the design of an existing structure or possess design
features that mask the utilitarian nature of the tower.
4 11SN0235-AUG24-BOS-RPT
Area Development Trends:
The subject property is located in an area characterized by single-family residential uses on
acreage parcels and single-family residential subdivision development in Red Fern Station.
Adjacent property to the north and west is zoned, along with the subject property, to permit
single-family residential uses. Single-family residential development is expected to continue
in this area, as suggested by the Plan.
Zonin H.~ istory:
On February 22, 2006 the Board of Supervisors, upon a recommendation of approval from
the Planning Commission, approved Residential (R-25) zoning on the request property and
adjacent property to the north and west (Case 05SN0193). Such zoning allows for the
development ofsingle-family residential uses.
Staff would like to note, a little more than a year ago the Board of Supervisors denied a
similar request on a site approximately 1400 feet south of this site (Case lOSN0174). That
proposal was located on the Woolridge Elementary School property and had received a
recommendation for approval from planning staff as it was felt to be incompliance with the
Public Facilities Plan and Tower Sitin.~ PolicX; not in a residentially developed area and
with design features to mask the utilitarian nature of the tower. Staff is recommending
denial of the current request on this site because it does not comply with the Public Facilities
Plan or Tower Sitin.~ PolicX; in an area experiencing residential development and no
environmental features to assist in screening the structure.
Development Standards:
The request property lies within an Emerging Growth Area. The purpose of the Emerging
Growth District standards is to promote high quality, well-designed projects. However,
because the request property is zoned Residential (R-25), development is not required to
meet the development standards for Emerging Growth Areas. The applicant has offered
language requiring compliance with Emerging Growth Area requirements relative to the
architectural treatment of the proposed equipment building and screening of mechanical
equipment. (Proffered Condition 5)
The proposed communications tower would be a monopole with external flush mounted
antennas, intended to minimize its appearance (Proffered Condition 4). The height of the
tower would not exceed 154 feet (Proffered Condition 6). Access to the tower site would
be via a proposed driveway connection to Woolridge Road. Should this request be
approved, the applicant has proffered that the base of the tower would be secured with a
fence to discourage trespassing. (Proffered Condition 3)
To ensure that the tower does not become a maintenance problem or an eyesore, the
applicant has proffered that the tower would be removed at such time that it ceases to be
used for communications purposes. (Condition 7)
5 11SN0235-AUG24-BOS-RPT
Plans:
The applicant has agreed that the proposed tower would be located as depicted on a plan
submitted with the application (Proffered Condition 2). In addition to the tower site, the
plans also indicate a wetlands area and Resource Protection Area (RPA) on the property,
generally adjacent to the western boundary of the tower compound. The wetlands and
RPA have been confirmed by the Water Quality section of the Department of
Environmental Engineering.
CONCLUSIONS
The proposal conforms to the Public Facilities Plan which suggests sites with existing mature
vegetation or topographical features which provide screening are preferred due to their natural
ability to mitigate visual and noise impacts. In addition, the proposal conforms to the Tower
Sitin.~ Policy which suggests if towers are to be located in the vicinity of existing or planned
areas of development, the tower should be located on property that is densely wooded with
mature vegetation.
Given these considerations, approval of this request is recommended.
CASE HISTORY
Staff (7/14/11):
On July 15, 2011, the Department of Environmental Engineering confirmed and
approved the RPA application. This approval resulted in a recommendation of approval
of this request from staff.
Planning Commission Meeting (7/19/11):
The applicant accepted the recommendation. There was no opposition present.
On motion of Mr. Bass, seconded by Dr. Brown, the Commission recommended approval
and acceptance of the proffered conditions on pages 2 and 3.
AYES: Messrs. Bass, Brown, Gulley, Hassen and Waller.
The Board of Supervisors, on Wednesday, August 24, 2011 beginning at 6:30 p.m., will take
under consideration this request.
6 11SN0235-AUG24-BOS-RPT
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11 SN0235-1