HomeMy WebLinkAboutARB201900067 Staff Report 2019-07-08
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ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD STAFF REPORT
Project #/Name ARB-2019-67: Verizon-Shadwell (Easton’s Property) 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 with Verizon (Stephen Waller, AICP)
Magisterial District Scottsville
Proposal To establish a telecommunications facility consisting of a 100.5’ steel monopole and associated equipment on a one-acre
parcel.
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 July 15, 2019
Staff Contact Heather McMahon
HISTORY and PROJECT DETAILS
This undeveloped, wooded, one-acre parcel has no prior site development plans. The ARB reviewed a proposal to establish a telecommunications facility
consisting of a 114.5’ steel monopole with associated equipment on November 20, 2017. By a vote of 4:0, the Board approved a Certificate of
Appropriateness for the ground equipment and base station, but by a vote of 3:1, the Board forwarded the recommendation to the agent that the ARB
found the proposed location would not sufficiently minimize the visibility of the monopole from the Route 250 Entrance Corridor. The Certificate of
Appropriateness for the ground equipment was issued on November 30, 2017.
Since then, the application (SDP-2017-55) for a Tier II Personal Wireless Service Facility was withdrawn and the heights of the trees in the vicinity re -
measured. The applicant found that the previously-recorded height of the reference tree, a 30-inch oak, was in error: previous calculations had the tree’s
AGL height at 106 feet and the canopy height at 514 feet AMSL; present calculations state that the oak’s AGL height is 92 feet and the canopy height at
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500 feet AMSL. This reassessment has resulted in a reduction of the proposed monopole height by 14 feet. Therefore, this request is for the erection of a
100.5-foot-tall monopole at 510’ AMSL with a two-foot lightning rod (overall height is 102.5 feet).
The proposed associated base mechanical equipment that was previously approved by the ARB has changed slightly since the last review, although the
location of the assemblage (within a cleared and fenced perimeter within a wooded area) remains the same. A 1,600-square-foot rectangular lease area
contains a 40-foot by 18-foot (720 square foot) area that is enwalled by a stockade fence. A proposed radio transmitter cabinet atop a concrete pad, a 10-
foot-wide by 10-foot-tall utility H-frame stand for power and communications components atop a steel grated platform, a generator atop a second
concrete pad, and an ice guard will lie within the enclosed area. The proposed wooden fence is 6 feet in height from grade; any base station equipment
that may extend above the screening fence will be painted Sherwin Williams “Java Brown” (SW#6090). No guy wires are proposed and LED floodlights
mounted to the utility H-frame will only be used as needed.
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 123 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. Very little enlargement of the extant drive as it
feeds into Route 250 is necessary. Only three extant trees over six inches in caliper (one of which is dead) are to be removed within the lease area.
The monopole, measuring 30 inches in diameter at its base and tapering to 18 inches in diameter at its top, is made of galvanized steel, the base of the
pole is at 409.5’ AMSL while the top of the pole is 510’ AMSL (512’ 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 centerline at 96 feet
AGL. The average antenna dimensions are 95.7” H x 13.8” W x 7.1” D = 1320.66 square inches. They will project 18” from the face of the monopole,
and because of such, will require a Special Exception 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 18” from the
face of the monopole.
The applicant states that the requested mounting
components allow the proposed Commscope
JAHH-65C-R3B 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 6” of projection is
not expected to be noticeable
from the vantage points
where the balloon was seen.
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VISIBILITY
The 1,600-square-foot, rectangular lease area lies within 27 feet from the southern edge of I-64, an Entrance Corridor. Visibility of the monopole is
fleeting and mitigated by mature trees on I-64. [Figure 1].
Figure 1: baloon visibility through extant landscaping, I-64 westbound lanes, north shoulder. Photo taken by A. Knuppel June 28, 2019.
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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.
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 June 28, 2019 for this
proposal. Route 250, Moose Lane, Pinewood Drive, East
Keswick Road, Hacktown Road, and the I-64 Entrance
Corridor were traveled to determine visibility. The balloon
was not visible from the eastbound lanes of I-64 but was
partially observed through extant trees from the westbound
lanes of I-64. In no instance was the balloon skylit (cf.
Figure 1). Currently, Entrance Corridor regulations are not
being applied to this segment of Route 250 because the
arterial status of the road is in question. Consequently,
visibility of the proposal from Route 250 does not need to be
addressed at this time.
Given the degree of visibility
displayed at the balloon test, the
proposed location of the facility
is expected to sufficiently
minimize the visibility of the
monopole from the I-64 EC;
therefore, little to no 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:
Since very few alterations to the proposed ground equipment have been made since the last submittal and review, and because the ground equipment
is not expected to be visible from the EC, staff recommends that the Certificate of Appropriateness for the ground equipment issued on November
30, 2017, remains valid.
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 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 3/22/19
G-2 General Notes and Concrete Equipment Pad Details 3/22/19
C-1 Site Survey 3/22/19
C-1A Tree Inventory 3/22/19
C-1B Area Map 3/22/19
C-2 Enlarged Site Plan 3/22/19
C-3 Elevation View 3/22/19
C-4 Grading Plan 3/22/19
C-4A Enlarged Grading Plan 3/22/19
C-4B Enlarged Grading Plan and Entrance Plan 3/22/19
C-4C Details 3/22/19
C-5 Fence and Signage 3/22/19
C-6 Ice Bridge Details 3/22/19
C-7 Equipment Layout and Notes 3/22/19
C-8 Concrete Pad Details 3/22/19