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HomeMy WebLinkAboutARB202100106 Staff Report 2021-09-29ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD STAFF REPORT Project #/Name ARB-2021-106: Southside Tier 2 PWSF Review Type Advisory Review fora personal wireless facility; Certificate of Appropriateness for ground equipment Parcel Identification 087000000022E0 Location 2415 Southside Drive, North Garden See Fig. 1. Zoned Rural Areas RA / Entrance Corridor EC Owner/Applicant Roy Thomas or Lisa Fitzgerald / Parallel Infrastructure Hadisha Gordon Magisterial District Samuel Miller Proposal To construct a personal wireless services facility consisting of an 87'-tall monopole and associated equipment, including a request for a Special Exception See Attach. A. Context The surrounding area is rural/rural residential. Nearby, at the southwest comer of the intersection of Rt. 29 and Red Hill Rd. (3017 Monacan Trail Rd.) is the Trading Post convenience store with a fuel pump canopy and two PWSF monopoles. (See Fig. 2. ARB Meeting Date October 4, 2021 Staff Contact Margaret Maliszewski HISTORY: The ARB has reviewed no previous proposals for this property. A letter outlining opposition to this proposal was received on Sep. 27. (See Attach. B.) PROJECT DETAILS The proposal includes the following: • Installation of an 87'-tall monopole within a fenced 50' x 50' compound in a 100' x 100' lease area, with monopole located approximately 178' from the Rt. 29 right-of-way. • Installation of ground equipment including a utility H-frame with meter and cabinet. • Installation of a 6'-tall chain link fence around the compound, with barbed wire on top. • Creation of a 20'-wide access easement with 12' gravel access road to the lease area. • Installation of 6 antennas (72" high x 19" wide x 8" deep), 2 raycap squids, and 3 Remote Radio Heads on pipe mounts. o A Special Exception is requested to allow the antennas to be mounted 63" from the face of the pole. The plans do not show where the measurement is taken. • The reference tree is identified as 77' tall. Z-6 shows the tree immediately adjacent to the monopole and to be removed (which is not allowed for a Tier II facility); Z-3 illustrates a "tallest tree within 25 feet" a few feet beyond the fenced area, which places the trunk beyond 25' from the facility. • Monopole, antennas, RRHs and associated mounting equipment are proposed to be painted Woodsy Brown SW 2924. A paint sample was not provided. • A future lease area of 435 sf is also shown within the compound. ANALYSIS REGARDING THE GROUND EQUIPMENT A Certificate of Appropriateness from the ARB is required for the base equipment portion of this proposed telecommunications facility. 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 17 Accessory The plans show a monopole with a utility H-frame Because there is insufficient information provided to confirm structures and with meter and cabinet within a compound that visibility of the ground equipment and chain link fence will equipment: The surrounded by a chain link fence topped with barbed be eliminated, staff does not recommend approval of the following should be wire. This is less ground equipment than is typically Certificate of Appropriateness for the ground equipment and screened to eliminate proposed. The ARB has consistently not approved base station at this time. Staff recommends that the following visibility from the chain link fence visible from the EC street. At its information be submitted for further consideration: Entrance Corridor closest point, the fence would be located 1. Provide a tree plan that locates individual trees and trees to street: approximately 150' from the Rt. 29 right-of-way. be removed, keyed to a list that provides species, caliper e) Mechanical Sheet Z-1 shows trees to remain that would screen and height. Ensure that there are sufficient trees to remain equipment the view of the fence from the street. However, the on site to eliminate visibility of the ground equipment and g) Chain link fence trees appear to be symbols generally signifying a chain link fence from Rt. 29. wooded area rather than actual existing trees in 2. Confirm that there is no ground equipment proposed beyond specific locations, with many of the trees located the utility H-frame with meter and cabinet as currently off -site in the right-of-way, so the extent of actual illustrated on the plan. If additional equipment is proposed, screening that will be provided is unclear. More show it on the plan. specific information on existing trees and trees to remain is needed to confirm that equipment and fencing won't be visible from the EC street. ANALYSIS REGARDING VISIBILITY OF THE FACILITY AND THE SPECIAL EXCEPTION REQUEST The ARB may act man advisory ca aci to the Agent as to whether the facility is being sited to minimize its visibili Ref Guideline/Ordinance Issues Recommendations 33 Development A balloon test was conducted on September 16, 2021. A balloon Given the degree of visibility pattern: The measuring 12.5' x 9' was used to represent the proposed 63" standoff for displayed at the balloon test and relationship of the antennas. Due to the density of the wooded area and the size of the the intrusive and incompatible buildings and other balloon, the balloon was not flown from the proposed monopole appearance of the proposed structures to the location. Instead, it was flown in the clearing between the wooded area standoff, staff recommends that Entrance Corridor of the site and the wooded street frontage, approximately 80' north of the proposed location of the street and to other the Rt. 29 right-of-way and 150' southeast of the proposed monopole facility does not sufficiently development within location. minimize the visibility of the monopole from the Rt. 29 EC the corridor should be The test revealed that the balloon was visible from Rt. 29 in various and staff does not recommend as follows: locations between Rt. 708 (Red Hill Rd.) and just west of Rt. 710 approval of the Special f. The placement of (Taylors Gap Rd.), a distance of approximately one mile (Fig. 3). It was Exception. The following structures on the site most visible from the vicinity of 2936 Monacan Trail Rd. (Fig. 4) to just changes/ submittals are should respect existing west of the Rt. 710 intersection, a distance of approximately 1/3 mile. recommended for additional views and vistas on When it was visible, the balloon was skylit (Fig. 5). It is anticipated that consideration: 5.1.40.b(2)(c) and around the site. a balloon flown from the actual proposed monopole location would have 1. Revise the proposal to flush similar visibility and would also be skylit. The test showed that the 63" mount antennas. Projection...... in no standoff, as represented by the balloon, does not minimize visibility of 2. Provide photo -simulations of case shall the closest the facility. It results in a structure that is an intrusion in the landscape the proposed facility. point of the back of and incompatible with the surroundings. The standoff does not minimize 3. Provide to -scale drawings the antenna be more the visibility of the facility; rather, it highlights it. There is potential, showing the pole and than 12 inches from however, that the proposed site might be appropriate with a facility using antennas and the distances the facility ... and in flush -mounted antennas. from pole to antennas and no case shall the mounting equipment. farthest point of the There is inconsistent/incomplete information in the plan set, so it is 4. Show the reference tree back of the antenna be difficult to predict what additional impact proposed tree removal could accurately on all relevant more than 18 inches have on visibility of the proposed facility. Z-6 notes that all vegetation plans. Include the distance from the facility... within the 50' compound is to be removed, including the reference tree, from the pole to the tree and Z-1 shows no trees within the 100' lease area. To qualify as a Tier 11 trunk. Note that to qualify as facility, the site must retain a reference tree with a trunk no more than a Tier 11 facility, the site 25' from the monopole. A landscape plan/tree inventory showing that must retain a reference tree sufficient on -site tree cover, including a reference tree, will remain to with a trunk no more than mitigate visibility, would be helpful. Photo -simulations could help 25' from the monopole. clarify visibility of the facility in its actual proposed location. 5. Submit a paint sample for SW2924. The proposal includes a "Woodsy Brown" paint for the pole and related equipment. A physical sample of the paint color could confirm that it is coordinated with the wooded surroundings. Figure 1: Project location. The yellow star marks the general location of the proposed facility. The red triangle marks the approximate location from which the balloon was flown. Fig. 2: Existing PWSFs at the Trading Post, 3017 Monacan Trail Rd. View from Red Hill Rd. near the intersection with Rt. 29, facing southwest. Figure 3: The subject parcel is highlighted in yellow. The purple line shows the segment of the Rt. 29 Entrance Corridor where views of the balloon were available. The red lines mark the area of clear, sustained views. Outside the red lines, views were intermittent. When visible, the balloon was skylit. Figure 4: View of the balloon from the northbound lanes of Rt. 29 at 2991 Monacan Trail Rd., facing northwest. Figure 5: View of the balloon from the northbound lanes of Rt. 29 at 2991 Monacan Trail Rd., facing northeast. SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS Points of Discussion 1. Anticipated visibility of the monopole 2. Anticipated visibility of the ground equipment and chain link fence 3. Visual impacts of the proposed 63" antenna standoff Recommendations Regarding the Certificate of Appropriateness for the ground equipment and base station: Because there is insufficient information provided to confirm that visibility of the ground equipment and chain link fence will be eliminated, staff does not recommend approval of the Certificate of Appropriateness for the ground equipment and base station at this time. Staff recommends that the following information be submitted for further consideration: 1. Provide a tree plan that locates individual trees and trees to be removed, keyed to a list that provides species, caliper and height. Ensure that there are sufficient trees to remain on site to eliminate visibility of the ground equipment and chain link fence from Rt. 29. 2. Confirm that there is no ground equipment proposed beyond the utility H-frame with meter and cabinet as currently illustrated on the plan. If additional equipment is proposed, show it on the plan. Regarding visibility of the facility Staff recommends that the ARB forward the following recommendation to the Agent: • The ARB finds that the proposed location will not sufficiently minimize the visibility of the monopole from the Rt. 29 Entrance Corridor. The ARB recommends the following changes/submittals for additional consideration: 1. Revise the proposal to flush mount antennas. 2. Provide photo -simulations of the proposed facility. 3. Provide to -scale drawings showing the pole and antennas and the distances from pole to antennas and mounting equipment. 4. Show the reference tree accurately on all relevant plans. Include the distance from the pole to the tree trunk. Note that to qualify as a Tier II facility, the site must retain a reference tree with a trunk no more than 25' from the monopole. 5. Submit a paint sample for SW2924. Regardingthe he Special Exception: Staff recommends that the ARB forward the following recommendation to the Agent: • The ARB does not recommend approval of the Special Exception due to the intrusive and incompatible appearance of the proposed standoff. The ARB recommends the following changes/submittals for additional consideration: 1. Revise the proposal to flush mount antennas. 2. Provide photo -simulations of the proposed facility. 3. Provide to -scale drawings showing the pole and antennas and the distances from pole to antennas and mounting equipment. 4. Show the reference tree accurately on all relevant plans. Include the distance from the pole to the tree trunk. Note that to qualify as a Tier II facility, the site must retain a reference tree with a trunk no more than 25' from the monopole. 5. Submit a paint sample for SW2924. ATTACHMENTS Attach. 1— ARB2021-106 Southside Tier 2 plans Attach. 2 — ARB2021-106 Southside Tier 2 correspondence TABLE 1 This report is based on the September 16, 2021 balloon test and the following submittal items: Sheet # Drawing Name Drawing/Revision Date T-1 Title Sheet 8/9/21 1 of 3(survey information 2 of 3 Site Information 3 of 3 Leal Description Sheet Z-1 Plan View Z-2 Proposed Site Plan Z-3 Elevation Z-4 antenna information Z-5 Equipment Specifications Z-6 Tree Height Stud Tree Height Stud hoto) Tree Height Stud(photo) Special Exce tion Request 8/20/21 10