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14SN0562CASE MANAGER: Robert Clay i ~ ~- ~j~, u ~i ~- ,k BS Time Remaining: 365 days STAFF' S REQUEST ANALYSIS AND RECOMMENDATION 14SN0562 New Cingular Wireless PCS, LLC ~~> `ni~~ May 28, 2014 BS Matoaca Magisterial District Off the north line of Piedmont Avenue, north of Plumtree Street 3000 Winnie Drive REQUEST: Conditional use approval to pernut a communications tower in an Agricultural (A) District. PROPOSED LAND USE: A 197 foot communications tower and associated improvements are planned. PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION RECOMMEND APPROVAL AND ACCEPTANCE OF THE PROFFERED CONDITIONS ON PAGES 2 AND 3. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Recommend denial for the following reason: While the proposal conforms to the design requirements of the Telecommunications Tower Siting Policy, it does not comply with the Public Facilities Plan, a component of the Comprehensive Plan. The tower is proposed in a residential area on property absent of sufficient vegetation and nahiral features to conceal the facility and minimize the visual impact as suggested by the Plan. (NOTES: A. CONDITIONS MAY BE IMPOSED OR THE PROPERTY OWNER MAY PROFFER CONDITIONS. CONDITIONS NOTED "CPC" ARE RECOMMENDED BY THE COMMISSION. B. UNDER THE FEDERAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS ACT, LOCALITIES CANNOT REGULATE CELL TOWERS ON THE BASIS Pro~Tiding a FIRST CHOICE community through excellence in public ser~Tice OF POSSIBLE HEALTH OR ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF RADIO FREQUENCY EMISSIONS.) PROFFERED CONDITIONS (CPC) 1. There shall be no signs permitted to identify this use. (P) (CPC) 2. 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 accommodate evergreen plantings having an initial height and spacing to provide screening of the base of the tower and accessory ground-mounted equipment or strictures from adjacent properties. An area west of the tower site shall be identified as a "Vegetation Retention Area." A detailed plan depicting these requirements shall be submitted to the Planning Department for approval in conjunction with final site plan review. No trees within the "Vegetation Retention Area" may be removed unless such trees are dead, diseased or dying. (P) (CPC) 3. 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 stnictLire with flush mounted antennas. d. Any satellite dish and microwave dish antennas attached to the telecommunications tower shall not exceed six (6) feet in diameter and shall be of a neutral color with no logos. (P) (CPC) 4. Any building or mechanical equipment shall comply with the Zoning Ordinance relative to architectural treatment of building exteriors and screening of mechanical equipment in O, C and I Districts. (P) (NOTE: The Zoning Ordinance requires the screening of mechanical equipment located on the building or ground from adjacent properties and public rights of way. Screening would not be required for the tower or tower-mounted equipment.) (CPC) 5. Prior to use of this telecommunications tower, the owner of the tower shall obtain approval of the stnictural integrity by a registered professional engineer licensed in Virginia and a copy of the report filed with the Planning Department. (P) 2 14SNO ~Ei2-2014 L~~ 28-BC)S-RPT (CPC) 6. The tower shall not exceed a height of 197 feet. (P) (CPC) 7. At such time that the telecommunications tower ceases to be used for communications purposes for a period exceeding twelve (12) consecutive months, the property owner(s) and/or cell tower owner(s) and/or lessee(s) shall dismantle and remove the tower and all associated equipment from the property. (P) (CPC) 8. Prior to final site plan approval, the Developer shall install evergreen plantings along the southern boundary line of Tax LD. 797617245200000, which landscaping shall have an initial height and spacing reasonably designed to mitigate the visual impacts of the tower for properties located on Winnie Drive. The design and type of vegetative materials to be employed shall be acceptable to the Planning Department. (P) GENERAL INFORMATION Location: The request property is located off the north line of Piedmont Avenue, north of Plumtree Street. Tax ID 797-617-Part of 2452. Existing Zonin A Size: 1.3 acres Existing Land Use: Vacant Adj acent Zoning and Land Use: North, East and West - A; Vacant South - R-7; Single-fanuly residential UTILITIES: PUBLIC FACILITIES: AND COUNTY TRANSPORTATION This request will have no impact on these facilities. ENVIRONMENTAL This request will have minimal impact on these facilities. 3 14SNO ~Ei2-2014 L~~ 28-BC)S-RPT COUNTY COMM[_]NICATIONS The Zoning Ordinance requires that any stricture over eighty (80) feet in height be reviewed by the County's Public Safety Review Team for potential detrimental impacts the stricture could have on the County's Radio Communications System microwave paths. This determination must be made prior to constriction of the communications tower. COUNTY AIIZPORT 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 A NTl T TCF Comprehensive Plan: The Comprehensive Plan suggests the property is appropriate for Suburban Residential II use. This land use category is appropriate for residential development at a density of 2.0 to 4.0 dwellings per acre. The Public Facilities Plan, an element of the Comprehensive Plan, encourages co-location on existing telecommunications towers rather than new freestanding strictures, or that a tower should be architecturally incorporated into existing building features. Where co- location or architectural incorporation is not feasible, in residential areas the Plan encourages the use of natural features such as topography and streams as transitions and/or locational and design features that conceal these facilities to the greatest degree feasible to minimize the visual impact. Area Development Trends: Single-fanuly residential subdivisions are developed to the south (Piedmont Estates) and west (Colonial Pine Estates). The Plan anticipates single-family residential uses continuing in the area. Development and Tower Siting Policy Standards: The Telecommunications Tower Siting PolicX provides guidelines for addressing design, stnictural, setback and other site specific requirements. This proposal, as submitted, complies with the Telecommunications Tower Siting PolicX. The table below identifies this compliance with the specific areas of the Policy, as discussed herein: 4 14SNO ~Ei2-2014 L~~ 28-BC)S-RPT Tower Sitin Polic Com lies = X Discourages sectored arrays in residential areas X Satellite and microwave dish antennas not to exceed 6 feet in diameter X Certification of stnictural integrity X Setbacks from existing off-site dwellings and public rights-of-way X No signs, except as required by state or federal guidelines X Security fence to preclude trespassing X Screening of tower base and ground mounted equipment X Removal when no longer used X Access to the tower site would be via a proposed driveway to Winnie Drive through Piedmont Estates Subdivision. The proposed 197 foot communications tower would be a monopole with flush mounted antennas, intended to minimize its appearance. (Proffered Conditions 3 and 6 and Attachment 2) Although the property is zoned Agricultural (A), the applicant has agreed to meet the architectural and screening requirements for ground mounted equipment for development in O, C or I Districts. (Proffered Condition 4) E~• sting Vegetation and Plantings: As previously noted, much of the request property and parent parcel have been timbered. As a means of minimizing the visual impact of the tower on residential properties a "Vegetation Retention Area" is proposed outside of, and adjacent to the west side of, the compound. (Proffered Condition 2 and Attachment 1) To address concerns expressed by the District Planning Commissioner, the applicant has offered to install evergreen plantings along the southern boundary of Tax ID 797-617- 2452, adjacent to Piedmont Estates (Proffered Condition 8 and Attachment 1). Staff would ensure that this commitment has been met prior to final site plan approval It should be noted that subsequent to site plan approval, as an offsite improvement, staff would not be in a position to ensure the long-term maintenance of this vegetation. CONCLUSION While the proposal conforms to the Telecommunications Tower Siting Policy, it does not comply with the Public Facilities Plan, a component of the Comprehensive Plan. The proposed tower is located in an area designated for Suburban Residential II uses on property absent of sufficient vegetation and natural features to conceal the facilities to the greatest degree possible and 14SNO ~Ei2-2014 L~~ 28-BC)S-RPT minimize the visual impact. As previously noted, the applicant has agreed to install off-site evergreen plant materials and retain an area of existing vegetation in an effort to minimize the visual impact the proposed tower might have on area residential development. Given the proposal does not comply with the Comprehensive Plan, denial of this request is recommended. CASE HISTORY Planning Commission Meeting (4/15/14): The applicant's representative accepted the Planning Commission's recommendation but did not accept staff's recommendation. There was no opposition present. In response to questions of Dr. Wallin, the property owner described linutations for future residential development on the parent parcel to include difficulty extending gravity-fed sewer and cash proffer costs for potential starter homes. In response to a question of Mr. Patton's, staff indicated that co-location had been explored by the applicant, but did not provide necessary cellular coverage. Dr. Wallin indicated that the area was absent of sufficient cellular coverage; that efforts were made to involve area property owners early in the process; that steps had been taken to minimize views of the tower from neighboring residential development; and compliance with the Tower Siting Policy had been achieved. On motion of Dr. Wallin, seconded by Dr. Brown, the Commission recommended approval and acceptance of the proffered conditions on pages 2 and 3. AYES: Messrs. Wallin, Patton, Brown, Gulley and Waller. The Board of Supervisors, on Wednesday, May 28, 2014 beginning at 6:30 p.m., will take under consideration this request. Ei 14SNO ~Ei2-2014 L~~ 28-BC)S-RPT Q Q ~~ ~. ~~. ~~~ ", ~> ~, ,,ten °d~> 0 J 0 N Cfl ~°n T O Z V o a JY~ TifRE ARE N0 TREES SURROUHaNG TFE PROP05E~ T~OMIER ~ HO TOMIER LIGHTING I~EEOEd. 4' LK;HTNHG R00 PR~P05Ea AT~tT ANTENN-lS aN FLU51i I~i01JIVT5 0 TYYD RM CEHTER5 tiYP. 1 PER SECfUR PER MOUNT - 6 TDTAL~ R 0 i i+ rn ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ o ~ o ~ o i i i ~ ~ ~ a ~ ~ EIpSfIHG 193' MIONOPOLE PROPOfiEQ AT~T ICf9iDGE PR~PO® AT~T 11'-S x1B' SHELTERS ~~ FENC ~ ELEV. 221' IWSL 14SN0562-1 ~/ / ~~ -- / PRICE UESIGMS, INC. ~ I/ '~ ~' as ea23, ~c. 776 / aT~.s82~'AC. ~ - ~ / usE: sINC~E-Frurf. I~ {uNSw} ~ ~ 3000 WINNE DR. ~ , _ • ~' !~ 1 / / /, .•' _~-~ /7~ ` / I ~ ~ i ~ 1 j ~~ ' ETfISIINC 1fi' URAN~IAGE ~ ~ / / EASEiWE1Vf U.B. 6226. PG I / ~ - ~- / ~%~ ~ i r Ex` Nc wErul,os (TTP.) ~~ 'r I i JJJ ~ ii '.~/ ~~` / I PAOFFEREIT vECETATxnI , ~ / • ~'~ PRUPUSED TONIFR \ / ~ RETfAIIIUFI AREA , ~~ f ~ FIY.L ZOFE ftAUIUS \~~' -tom I 1 i //~ I ~ 10U~x1U~U' ;~ I / !'' 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