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Home My WebLink AboutARB202200058 Staff Report 2022-07-13Project #/Name ARB-2022-58: Scruby Verizon Review Type Advisory Review - Tier 3 PWSF Parcel Identification 05500-00-00-01400 Location 7418 Greenwood Station Road Zoned Rural Area (RA) / Entrance Corridor (EC) Owner/Applicant Brian Gray Scruby / GDN Sites (Nathan Holland) Magisterial District White Hall Proposal To construct a telecommunications facility consisting of a 140'-tall monopole topped by a 2'-tall lightning rod, with associated structures and equipment. The proposal includes a request for a Special Exception regarding the distance between the face of the monopole and the backs of the antennas. Context The subject parcel is nearly 45 acres in size and is bisected by I-64. The portion of the parcel located south of the interstate, where the monopole is proposed, has wooded borders on the north, east and west, and some hedgerows and scattered trees in the eastern half Most of the property is occupied by open fields. The surrounding area is rural in character with residential and agricultural buildings, many of which are historic. (Fig. 1 ARB Meeting Date July 18, 2022 Staff Contact Margaret Maliszewski HISTORY The ARB has reviewed no previous proposals on this parcel. A balloon test was held for the current proposal on June 15, 2022. (Note that this proposal differs in content and location from other previous applications with the same name.) Figure 1: Project location PROJECT DETAILS The proposal includes the following: • Installation of a 140'-tall monopole (plus a 2'-tall lightning rod) within a 20' x 20' fenced compound in a 40' x 40' lease area, with monopole located approximately 33' from the I-64 right-of-way. • Installation of ground equipment including various cabinets, a generator, an H-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 compound. • Creation of a 20'-wide access and utility easement from the existing gravel access drive to the lease area along the path of what appears to be an old farm road. • Installation of three arrays: 1) one array with six antennas using a mounting collar and frames; 2) one array with six remote radio heads below the antenna array; and 3) one array with two fiber optic sure protection boxes below the remote radio heads. Antenna size is: 96" high x 11.9" wide x 7.1" deep. • The project description notes that there are numerous mature trees along the north property line. Six individual trees are drawn on the plan. They are located on the property line, which is 23'8" from the proposed monopole center. Tree species are not identified. No tree removal is proposed. • Monopole, antennas, base station equipment, and fence are to be painted Java Brown SW 6090. • A Special Exception is requested to allow the antennas to be mounted with their backs 18" from the face of the pole. (See below for additional information.) ANALYSIS REGARDING THE GROUND EQUIPMENT A Certificate of Appropriateness from the ARB is required for the base equipment portion of telecommunications facilities in the Entrance Corridors. 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 wood None. eliminate visibility from the Entrance fence, so the ground equipment is not expected to be visible from the I-64 Corridor street: e) Mechanical equipment Entrance Corridor. The proposed fence material is appropriate given the rural setting. It is expected to blend with the wooded buffer between the Interstate and the prope , but the screening plants are not located on site. (Fig. 2 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. If constructed as proposed, the monopole will be readily visible from the I-64 Entrance Corridor. When visible along I-64, the balloon was seen well above the trees and was skylit. Trees and other vegetation along the property line and in the I-64 right-of-way only screen the lower portion of the monopole. Over 50' of the monopole rises above the nearby trees. East of the site, travelling westbound on I-64, the balloon was visible from the I-64 EC for approximately 3370'. West of the site, travelling eastbound, the balloon was visible for approximately 1100'. Ref Guideline Issues Recommendations Development pattern 33 The relationship of buildings and other structures to the As described above, the balloon test Given the degree of visibility displayed at the Entrance Corridor street and to other development revealed that the monopole would be balloon test, the proposed location of the facility within the corridor should be as follows: f. The readily visible both east- and westbound does not sufficiently minimize the visibility of the placement of structures on the site should respect on I-64. It would be seen well above the monopole from the I-64 EC. Significant negative existing views and vistas on and around the site. trees and would be skylit. (Figs. 3, 4, 5) visual impact on the Entrance Corridor is Photo -simulations confirm that the anticipated. monopole will have an obtrusive appearance from the I-64 Entrance Corridor. (Figs. 6, 7 Figure 3: The monopole site is highlighted in red. The blue lines represent the distance along the I64 Entrance Corridor that the balloon was visible. !- , .140, Figure 5: Traveling west on I-64, the balloon was seen well above the trees and was skylit. Fig. 6: Applicant's photo -simulation of the monopole as viewed from east of the site, traveling westbound on I-64. Fig. 7: Applicant's photo -simulation of the monopole as viewed from west of the site, traveling eastbound on I-64. 10 SPECIAL EXCEPTION REQUESTS Request Applicant's Reasoning Staff Comment Request to allow the closest point of the The applicant states that the proposed mounts will not Staff agrees that a consistent 18" standoff will backs of the mounted antennas to be 18" allow the antennas to meet the 12" requirement. not create significant additional negative visual from the face of the monopole. 12" is the Internal electric tilting (not physical tilting) of the impact as viewed from the I64 EC. standard requirement. 5.1.40.b(2)(c) antenna is proposed, with a consistent 18" standoff for the full length of the antennas. bS PROPOSED J140',X�' V/�EWZON ANTENNp ( YP. OF B) PROPOSED NONOPOIf MOUNT � s ANTENNA ORIENTATION PLAN AT 136' Ci2 NT9 Fig. 8: Applicant's detail showing 18" from face of monopole to back of antenna. I SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS Points of Discussion 1. Anticipated visibility of the monopole 2. Anticipated visibility of the ground equipment and base station Recommendations Regarding the Certificate of Appropriateness for the ground equipment and base station: Because the ground equipment is expected to be sufficiently screened 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 not sufficiently minimize the visibility of the monopole from the I-64 Entrance Corridor. Regarding the Special Exception: Staff recommends that the ARB forward the following recommendation to the Agent: 1. The ARB finds that a consistent 18" standoff will not create significant additional negative visual impact as viewed from the I64 EC. ATTACHMENTS Attach. 1: ARB2022-58: Scruby Verizon project description Attach. 2: ARB2022-58: Scruby Verizon site plan 12