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HomeMy WebLinkAboutARB200800103 Staff Report 2008-08-11ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD STAFF REPORT Project #: Name ARB- 2008 -103: Matthew (Verizon) Tier III PWSF Review Type Preliminary Review of a Site Development Plan; Advisory Review of a Special Use Permit Parcel Identification Tax Map 100, Parcel 30B Location On the west side of SR 631 (Old Lynchburg Road), approximately 600 feet north of the intersection SR 708 (Red Hill Road). Zoned Rural Areas (RA), Entrance Corridor (EC) Owner Louise K. Matthews Applicant Stephen Waller, AICP Magisterial District Samuel Miller Proposal To install a Tier III personal wireless service facility, by co- locating antennas on an existing Dominion Power tower. ARB Meeting Date August 18, 2008 Staff Contact Margaret Maliszewski SITE/PROJECT HISTORY A Special Use Permit application (SP- 2008 -13) for this proposal was received in March 2008. It was originally scheduled to be reviewed by the Planning Commission but was deferred because the ARB had not yet reviewed the project. The ARB has reviewed no previous proposals at this site. Two similar proposals were reviewed by the ARB in 2007. One was for Alltel Communications at I -64 and Old Lynchburg Road (ARB- 07 -15) and the other was for Verizon Wireless at Barracks Road (ARB - 07 -105). Both proposals consisted of flush - mounted antennas to be installed below the uppermost pair of existing arms on the existing towers. PROJECT DETAILS The applicant proposes to install an antenna array on an extension at the top of the existing power tower. The existing tower has a top height of 131' AGL. The proposed antennas would be attached to three mounting brackets. The brackets would be attached to a steel pole that would rise 6' above the top of the existing pole for a total top height of 137' AGL. The new equipment would be painted to match the existing tower (Sherwin Williams #6048 Terra Brun). Ground equipment would be housed inside a prefabricated equipment shelter measuring approximately 12' x 30' x I F tall. A wood fence would surround the lease area. Cables would be located underground and inside the pole. An access road would be created through the wooded area to the lease area. ARB 8/18/2008 Matthew (Verizon) Tier III PWSF - Page 1 CONTEXT and VISIBILITY The site of the proposed development is located on the north side of Old Lynchburg Road (Route 631), approximately 600' north of Red Hill Road (Route 708). The immediate area is occupied by a high tension electrical power easement that runs north -south across the property. Another power line runs east - west just south of the property. The existing north -south power poles are metal poles with four pairs of arms that extend outward. The east -west poles are a combination of wooden H -frame poles and lattice towers. A wooded area exists along the EC frontage of the property. The surrounding area is rural in character, with residential properties along the road. The cuts for the power lines, combined with the existing poles and lines, already have a significant negative visual impact on the area, particularly when traveling northbound on Route 631. The pole on which the antennas are proposed is visible when traveling northbound, but only for a short distance. The applicant estimates that distance at 50 yards. The existing pole is minimally visible and not really noticeable when traveling southbound on Route 631. The base of the tower is located at 645' AMSL. The elevation of the Entrance Corridor in the vicinity is approximately 675' AMSL. Ground equipment would be situated at approximately 661' AMSL. The base of the pole, and the proposed ground equipment, are not expected to be visible from Route 631 due to their depressed location and the existing trees along the road. ANALYSIS (based on plans dated 11- 15 -07) Issue: Access road Comments: An access road would be created from the Route 631 EC through the existing wooded area that borders the road along the project area. The access road would make a turn on the far side of the wooded area (as viewed from the EC) to limit direct views into the lease area. Details regarding the number, type and size of trees to be removed for the access road have not been provided. Shifting the access road approximately 50' to the south would avoid the need to remove trees. If the access road location remains as proposed, a tree survey will be needed, as well as identification of all trees to be removed. Recommendations: Shift the access road out of the wooded area to reduce impacts to trees. Issue: Grading into the wooded area Comments: Grading is proposed along the east side of the lease area, into the existing wooded area. Individual trees that might be impacted by the grading are not identified on the plan. Recommendations: Provide for review a revised plan that identifies all individual trees that might be impacted by the proposed development. Issue: Tower height and antennas Comments: The proposed antennas and related equipment are considered mechanical equipment — features that should not be visible form the Entrance Corridor. The addition of antennas to an existing tower would create less impact than a new facility would. However, increasing the height of the pole would increase the negative impacts. Installing the antennas on the existing pole, rather than extending the height of the pole to accommodate the antennas, would reduce visibility and negative impacts. Flush - mounting the antennas, rather than installing them in an array, would also reduce impacts and would have a more appropriate appearance for the EC. Recommendations: Revise the method of attachment of the antennas to flush - mount. Revise the location of the antennas to a point below the uppermost pair of arms on the existing pole. ARB 8/18/2008 Matthew (Verizon) Tier III PWSF - Page 2 Issue: Wood fence Comments: On Sheet C5 the wood fence is illustrated as tall as the equipment shelter. A note on Sheet C2 states that the fence is 8' tall with three strands of barbed wire. Recommendations: Revise Sheets C2 and C5 to coordinate information regarding the wood fence. The height of the wood fence shall be at least as tall as the height of the equipment shelter. SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS Staff recommends the following as the primary points of discussion: 1. Increased pole height 2. Method of antenna attachment 3. Location of access road Staff cannot support the application as proposed, but can recommend approval of a Certificate of Appropriateness with the following conditions: 1. Shift the access road out of the wooded area to reduce impacts to trees. 2. Provide for review a revised plan that identifies all individual trees that might be impacted by the proposed development. 3. Revise the method of attachment of the antennas to flush - mount. 4. Revise the location of the antennas to a point below the uppermost pair of arms on the existing pole. 5. Revise Sheets C2 and C5 to coordinate information regarding the wood fence. The height of the wood fence shals be at least as tall as the height of the equipment shelter. ARB 8/18/2008 Matthew (Verizon) Tier III PWSF - Page 3