HomeMy WebLinkAboutARB201700097 Staff Report 2017-11-13 (3)
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ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD STAFF REPORT
Project #/Name ARB-2017-97: Verizon-Shadwell PWSF Tier 2
Review Type Advisory Review
Parcel Identification 079A1000C00300
Location 3646 Richmond Road
Zoned Rural Areas (RA)/Entrance Corridor (EC)
Owner/Applicant Alice S. Easton/Cellco Partnership d/b/a Verizon (Stephen Waller, AICP)
Magisterial District Scottsville
Proposal To establish a telecommunications facility consisting of a 114.5’ steel monopole with associated equipment.
Context The subject parcel lies between the eastbound lanes of Interstate 64 and Route 250 (Richmond Road). The wooded,
undeveloped parcel is surrounded by mostly residential properties, although the parcel abuts a commercial property.
It lies within the Monticello Viewshed and in the Rural Area 2 Comprehensive Plan Area.
Visibility See page 3.
ARB Meeting Date November 20, 2017
Staff Contact Heather McMahon
HISTORY
This undeveloped, wooded, one-acre parcel has no prior site development plans and the ARB has not reviewed any proposals relating to this property
heretofore.
PROJECT DETAILS
The proposal requests the erection of a 114.5-foot-tall monopole and associated base mechanical equipment within a one-acre vacant parcel. The
assemblage will be located within a cleared and fenced perimeter, which itself will be built within a wooded area, and will lie within 27 feet from the
southern edge of I-64, an Entrance Corridor, and within approximately 350’ from the northern edge of Route 250 (Richmond Road), also an Entrance
Corridor. The proposal encompasses a 1,600 square foot, rectangular lease area that contains a six-foot-tall wooden, stockade fence enwalling a 40-foot
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by 18-foot (720 square foot) area. Access will be provided through a 12-foot-wide gate on the southeastern elevation of the fence. An existing gravel
driveway located on the adjacent parcel to the south will be extended approximately 125 feet northward, through the woodlot, creating a 12-foot wide
access road to the proposed facility as well as a nine-foot by 18-foot vehicle parking area/turn-around to the south of the fenced compound. Only three
extant trees over six inches in caliper are to be removed within the lease area.
The base mechanical equipment will lie within the enclosure, atop compound gravel. The facility will include a 150 square foot steel-grate equipment
platform built atop a concrete pad and covered with a nine-foot ice bridge. The platform will contain a radio transmitter, base station cabinets (backup
batteries), two four-foot-wide utility H-frame stands with other power and communications components, and an emergency back-up generator. Two fully
shielded LED floodlights will be placed on either side of the H-frames. No guy wires or whip antennas are proposed.
The monopole, measuring 30 inches in diameter at its base and tapering to 18 inches in diameter at its top, spans 115 feet above ground level (total height
does not include the two-foot-tall, one-inch-diameter grounding rod that will extend from the top of the monopole ). Made of galvanized steel, the base of
the pole is at 409.5’ AMSL while the top of the pole is 524’ AMSL (526’ AMSL including the lightning rod). The monopole and antennas will be
painted Sherwin Williams #6090 “Java Brown,” a matte enamel color which has been previously approved on similar “treetop” PWSF monopoles in
Albemarle County. A mounting collar and frames will allow for six antennas in a single array within three horizontally separated sectors with centerlines
at 110 feet above ground level (519.5’ AMSL). The average antenna dimensions are 95.7” H x 13.8” W x 7.1” D = 1320.66 square inches. They will
project 16-18” from the face of the monopole. Other supporting devices include nine remote radio heads (Alcatel-Lucent model B25 RRH4x30-4R,
which measure 21.4” x 12” x 7.2”, and Alcatel-Lucent model B13 RRH4x30-4R, which measure 21.6” x 12” x 9”) and one fiber-optics surge-protection
box situated below the antennas.
A Special Exception is requested as outlined in the following table.
Standard Requirement Special Exception Requested Applicant’s Reasoning Staff Comment
5.1.40.b(2)(c)
Projection shall be no greater
than 12” from facility to
closest point of back of
antenna and no greater than
18” to furthest point of back
of antenna.
Request to allow the closest
point of the backs of the
mounted antennas to be
approximately 16.1875” from
the face of the monopole.
The applicant states that the requested mounting
components allow the proposed Commscope
JAHH-65-C-R38 RET antennas to be in
compliance with the 18” limitation on the farthest
projection point from the monopole while
accommodating any necessary down-tilt. The
applicant states this will allow all six antennas to
be mounted at the same height, clear of the tree
tops, and that this will not greatly increase any
perceived visual impacts as the antennas will still
adhere to the maximum projection limits.
Staff agrees that the
additional 4.1875” of
projection is not expected to
be noticeable from the
vantage points where the
balloon was seen.
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VISIBILITY
While visibility of the monopole is fleeting and mitigated by mature trees on I-64, [Figures 1 and 2] it is readily visible from various points
along Route 250 [Figures 3-7]. The top of the monopole (including grounding rod) extends ten feet above the top elevation of the reference
tree, but as many as twenty feet above the tops of surrounding tree lines. While the reference tree is 106 feet tall, the next highest in the
proposed lease area is 99 feet, followed by 95 and 93 feet. The average tree height within the lease area, exclusive of the reference tree, is
67.42 feet. [See “Tree Inventory,” C-1A in applicant’s submission packet.]
Figure 1: three still frames from a video, showing the visibility of the balloon for two seconds while in a vehicle on I -64 Eastbound, traveling approximately 65 mph.
Video taken by H. McMahon 10-31-17.
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Figure 2: three still frames from a video, showing the visibility of the balloon for two seconds while in a vehicle on I -64 Westbound, traveling approximately 65
mph. Video taken by H. McMahon 10-31-17.
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Figures 3-5: three photos illustrating the test balloon’s visibility from points west of the site (oriented eastward), taken from the south side of Route 250.
From L to R: 3457 Richmond Road, looking ENE; 3582 Richmond Road, looking ENE; 3680 Richmond Road, looking N.
Photographs taken by H. McMahon 10-31-17.
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Figures 6-7: two photos illustrating the test balloon’s visibility from points east of the site (oriented westward), taken from the north a nd south sides of Route 250.
From L to R: from entrance of Moose Lodge, looking W; from mouth of Cumbria Lane, looking NNW over Moose Lodge entrance.
Photographs taken by H. McMahon 10-31-17.
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Figure 7a: Photo legend: red stars mark locations of photos 1-7; green star marks approximate location of proposed tower
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ANALYSIS REGARDING THE GROUND EQUIPMENT
A Certificate of Appropriateness from the ARB is required for the base equipment portion of this proposed telecommunications facility in the Entrance
Corridor. The ARB may impose conditions on the Certificate of Appropriateness, based on the EC Guidelines, and consistent with Section 5.1.40 of the
Zoning Ordinance.
Ref Guideline Issues Recommendations
Accessory structures and equipment
17 The following should be screened to eliminate
visibility from the Entrance Corridor street:
e) Mechanical equipment
The ground equipment is not expected to be visible from the
I-64 Entrance Corridor due to mature trees that act as
screening. The ground equipment is not expected to be visible
from the Route 250 Entrance Corridor due to the distance
from the street and due to the wooded area to remain around
the compound.
None.
ANALYSIS REGARDING VISIBILITY OF THE FACILITY
The ARB may act in an advisory capacity to the Agent as to whether the facility is being sited to minimize its visibility.
Ref Guideline Issues Recommendations
Development pattern
33 The relationship of buildings
and other structures to the
Entrance Corridor street and
to other development within
the corridor should be as
follows:
f. The placement of
structures on the site should
respect existing views and
vistas on and around the site.
A balloon test was conducted on October 31, 2017 for this proposal. The Route
250 Entrance Corridor (as well as Cumbria Lane, Moose Lane, Pinewood
Drive, and East Keswick Road) and the I-64 Entrance Corridor were traveled
to determine visibility. The balloon was visible for approximate distances of
1260’ on Rt. 250 west of the property and 1290’ on Rt. 250 east of the
property. The balloon was alternately visible through existing trees and as
much as approximately 20’ above the trees at vantage points approximately
400’ south and 820’ southwest of the proposed tower site. Most of the
visibility, especially southwest of the proposed site, was sky-lit, meaning no
surrounding trees provided a backdrop which would help mitigate the view of
the monopole (cf. Figures 3,4, and 6).
Given the degree of visibility
displayed at the balloon test,
the proposed location of the
facility is not expected to
sufficiently minimize the
visibility of the monopole
from the Route 250 EC;
therefore, a degree of
negative impact on the
Entrance Corridor is
anticipated.
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SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS
Regarding the Certificate of Appropriateness for the ground equipment and base station:
Because the proposed facility is consistent with all applicable guidelines, staff recommends approval of the Certificate of Appropriateness, as
proposed, for the proposed base equipment.
Regarding visibility of the monopole:
Staff recommends that the ARB forward the following recommendation to the Agent:
1. The ARB finds that the proposed location will not sufficiently minimize the visibility of the monopole from the Entrance Corridor.
TABLE A This report is based on the following submittal items:
Sheet # Drawing Name Latest Drawing Date
G-1 Cover Sheet 9-5-17
G-2 General Notes and Concrete Equipment Pad Details 9-5-17
C-1 Site Survey 9-5-17
C-1A Tree Inventory 9-5-17
C-1B Area Map 9-5-17
C-2 Enlarged Site Plan 9-5-17
C-3 Elevation View 9-5-17
C-3A RF Worksheet 9-5-17
C-4 Grading Plan 9-5-17
C-4A Enlarged Grading Plan 9-5-17
C-4B Details 9-5-17
C-5 Fence and Signage 9-5-17
C-6 Ice Bridge Details 9-5-17
A-1 VFP Deployable Platform Detail and Schedule 9-5-17
A-2 VFP Deployable Platform Elevations 9-5-17
- Photo package from October 31, 2017 balloon test 10-31-17