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Home My WebLink AboutARB202000129 Staff Report 2021-01-27ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD STAFF REPORT Project #/Name ARB_2020-129: Scruby Property— Verizon Tier 3 PWSF Review Type Advisory Review Parcel Identification 05400-00-00-072AO Location East side of Greenwood Station Road, just south of I-64 (See Figure 1.) Zoned Rural Area (RA) / Entrance Corridor (EC) Owner/Applicant Brian Gray Scruby / GDN Sites (Nathan Holland) / Verizon Wireless Magisterial District White Hall Proposal To construct a telecommunications facility consisting of a 94' monopole tower and associated structures and equipment. Context The immediate area is wooded and adjacent to Interstate 64. The surrounding area is rural in character with residential and agricultural buildings, many of which are historic. Visibility See page 4. ARB Meeting Date February 1, 2021 Staff Contact Margaret Maliszewski and Khris Taggart HISTORY The ARB has reviewed no previous proposals for this property. The original application for this proposal was received in June 2020 and a balloon test was held on July 28, 2020. During that test it was determined that the balloon was floated at the incorrect height, based on an incorrect tree height survey. A second balloon test was held on January 11, 2021 with the balloon flown at the correct proposed height based on a new reference tree. Figure 1: Project location PROJECT DETAILS The proposal includes the following: • Installation of a 94'-tall monopole within a fenced compound in a 40' x 40' lease area, with monopole located approximately 38' from the 1-64 right- of-way. • Installation of ground equipment including various cabinets, a generator, an 11-frame for other equipment, and an ice bridge, most on concrete pads. • Installation of a 10'-tall board -on -board wooden post screening fence around the 20' x 30' compound. • Creation of a 20'-wide access and utility easement from the existing gravel access drive to the lease area. • Installation of 6 antennas using a mounting collar and frames within a single array. Installation of 6 remote radio heads and 2 fiber optic surge protection boxes below the antenna array. o Antennas size is: 96" high x 11.9" wide x 7.1" deep. o Antennas are shown mounted with the backs of the antennas at 18" from the face of the pole. • The reference tree is identified as a 14" diameter Pine at 83' tall (858' AMSL). • Monopole, antennas, base station equipment, and fence are to be painted Java Brown SW 6090. • Special Exceptions are requested to disturb critical slopes and to allow a greater projection between the pole and the back of the antennas. (See page 6 for additional information.) VISIBILITY The wooded site is readily visible from the I-64 Entrance Corridor. Near the Greenwood Station Road overpass, the I64 pavement is approximately 20' below the proposed base of the monopole (774'). Figure 2: Monopole site relative to Greenwood Station Road (right) and I-64 (bottom). East of the site, travelling westbound on I-64, the balloon was visible from the I-64 EC for approximately 2300'. West of the site, travelling eastbound, the balloon was visible only for a short distance close to Greenwood Station Road. Figure 3: The monopole site is highlighted in yellow. The red lines represent the distance along the I64 Entrance Corridor that the balloon was visible. When visible along I-64, the balloon was seen within or behind trees. The balloon appeared near the tops of some trees, but it was not skylit. Figures 4: Views of the balloon from I-64 looking west towards Greenwood Station Road (above), and looking south at the Greenwood Station Road overpass (below). 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 The compound is proposed to be surrounded by a board -on -board None. eliminate visibility from the Entrance wood fence, so the ground equipment is not expected to be visible Corridor street: from the I-64 Entrance Corridor. The proposed fence material is e) Mechanical equipment appropriate given the wooded surroundings. The fence is expected to blend with the surroundings. It is not expected to appear out of lace in the rural setting. 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 paftern 33 The relationship of buildings and other As described above, the balloon test revealed that the monopole Given the degree of structures to the Entrance Corridor street would be visible both east- and westbound on I-64. It would be visibility displayed at the and to other development within the seen among trees but not above them and would not be skylit. balloon test, the proposed corridor should be as follows: location of the facility is f The placement of structures on the site expected to sufficiently should respect existing views and vistas minimize the visibility of on and around the site. the monopole from the I-64 EC. Little to no negative impact on the Entrance Corridor is anticipated. SPECIAL EXCEPTION REQUESTS Request Applicant's Re soning Staff Comment Request to allow the closest point of the The applicant states that the proposal is a more Staff agrees that the additional 6" of projection is backs of the mounted antennas to be efficient way of providing service because the six not expected to be noticeable from the vantage approximately 18" from the face of the antennas will be mounted at the same height, clear of points where the balloon was seen on the I64 EC. monopole. 12" is the standard the tree tops, and this will not greatly increase any requirement. 5.1.40.b(2)(c) perceived visual impacts as the antennas will still adhere to the maximum projection limits. Request to disturb approximately 340 sf The applicant states that visual impacts have been The proposed access road is not visible from the of critical slopes, located within the minimized. EC street and is behind the tower as viewed from proposed access road. (4.2) the EC. However, nine trees are proposed to be removed from the site to accommodate the access road, and proposed grading to establish the access road falls within the driplines of other trees that are identified as "to remain". The grading could negatively impact these trees, eventually resulting in additional tree loss. Points of Discussion 1. Anticipated visibility of the monopole 2. Anticipated visibility of the ground equipment and base station 3. Proposed tree removal and grading Recommendations Regarding the Certificate of Appropriateness for the ground equipment and base station: Because the ground equipment is not expected to be visible from the EC and the wooden fence is not expected to appear out of place in the surroundings, staff recommends approval of the Certificate of Appropriateness for the ground equipment and base station. 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 I-64 Entrance Corridor. Regardingthe he Special Exceptions: Revise the plan to eliminate grading from within the driplines of trees to remain. ATTACHMENTS Attach. A — ARB2020-129 Verizon Scruby site plan TABLE 1 This report is based on the following submittal items: Sheet # Drawing Name Drawing/Revision Date T-1 Title Sheet 11/2/20 EE-1 & 2 Easement Exhibits Z-1 Overall Site Plan Z-2 Enlarged Site Plan Z-3 Tree Inventory Z-4 2000' Topo Boundary C-1 Compound Plan C-2 Tower Elevation Details & Notes C-3 Mount Details S-1 Construction Details S-2 Equipment Mounting Details ES-1 Erosion & Sediment Control Plan ES-2 Erosion & Sediment Control Notes ES-3 & 4 Erosion & Sediment Control Details I & 11 Project Description; Special Exception Requests