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Home My WebLink AboutARB200800082 Staff Report 2008-07-11ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD STAFF REPORT Project #: Name ARB- 2008 -82: Shackelford— (Verizon) Tier III PWSF Review Type Preliminary Review of a Site Development Plan Parcel Identification Tax Map 48, Parcel 19 Location At the southeast corner of the intersection of Stony Point Road [Route 20 North] and Stony Point Pass [Route 600] Zoned Rural Areas (RA), Entrance Corridor (EC) Owner Shackelford, A C Jr. and May L, etal Applicant Stephen Waller, AICP Magisterial District Rivanna Proposal To install a Tier III personal wireless service facility, including a 98.5' tall monopole tower with associated ground equipment. ARB Meeting Date August 18, 2008 Staff Contact Margaret Maliszewski SITE/PROJECT HISTORY The ARB has conducted no previous reviews for this property. This proposal was originally scheduled for ARB review on July 21, 2008. The submittal did not include complete information on grading and trees to be removed, so the applicant requested deferral to allow time to revise the drawings. This proposal is scheduled for review by the Planning Commission on September 16, 2008. CONTEXT The site of the proposed project is a 260 -acre parcel located south of Stony Point Road (Rt. 20) and east of Stony Point Pass (Rt. 600). The site is located in a wooded area next to a field. Trees border the roads in this area, and the roads are typically narrow. The character of the general area is rural. The site is included within the Southern Albemarle Rural Historic District, a National Register district. PROJECT DETAILS The applicant proposes to establish a telecommunications facility consisting of the following items in a 50' x 50' lease area: Metal monopole with a top height of 98.5' above ground level (643 AMSL), painted SW #6090 Java Brown. Three flush - mounted panel antennas, painted SW #6090 Java Brown, each measuring 72.4" x 6.1" x 4.1 ", installed with a maximum of 12" between face of pole and face of antenna. The top elevation of each antenna is the same as the top elevation of the monopole. The ground elevation of the pole is 544.6. ARB 8/18/2008 Shackelford - Page 1 Cables are proposed to be installed inside the pole. Ground equipment is to be located in a prefabricated equipment shelter measuring 12' x 30' x 10' 7" tall. Concrete piers support the shelter. A 1" diameter lightning rod is proposed to extend no more than 2' above the top of the monopole. • A wooden screening fence is proposed around the equipment in the lease area. Other pertinent information: • Access to the site is proposed from the east side of Stony Point Pass with a new entrance and gravel access road. The southern part of the access road travels along an existing fence line. • The pole would be located approximately 740' south of Route 20. • The plans identify 19 trees of 6" caliper or larger to be removed from the project area, including 30" and 40" caliper Oak trees. 37 trees of less than 6" caliper are also proposed to be removed. • The proposed pole height is 10' above the top of the reference tree, which is a 16" Oak with a top elevation of 633 feet AMSL (87' AGL). The Oak tree ( #163) is located within 1' of the proposed pole location (measured from base to dripline). VISIBILITY A balloon test was conducted for this proposal on June 25, 2008. Route 20 was traveled north and south of the site to determine the extent of visibility of the proposal. The balloon was visible only for a short distance in the vicinity of the intersection of Routes 20 and 600. When the balloon was seen, it was visible through breaks in the trees along the Entrance Corridor. The narrow width of the road helped limit the noticeability of the balloon. Although the balloon was visible for only a relatively short distance along the EC, when it was visible, there was a material distance in the visibility when the balloon was reduced in height from 10' above the reference tree to 7' above the treetop. (See attached photos.) The on -site wooded area will screen the majority of the pole from view. The equipment shelter is not expected to be visible from the EC. ANALYSIS (based on plans T1 -2, C1, 1A, 1B, 2, 2A, 2b, 2C, 3, 4 and Al with revision date of 7/14/08) Issue: Access Road Comments: The proposal includes the construction of a new access road from Stony Point Pass to the monopole site. Construction of the access road requires the removal of a number of trees and some grading. Three trees ( #1049: a 30" Poplar, 1051: an 18" Oak and 1059: a 10" Poplar) are shown as to remain, but grading is proposed within their drip lines and could impact their health. The loss of these trees, though not encouraged, is not expected to impact the level of visibility of the development from the Route 20 Entrance Corridor. Recommendations: The applicant is encouraged to revise the plans to maintain grading outside the drip line of trees to remain along the access road to the greatest extent possible. Issue: Grading at Lease Area/Concrete Piers Comments: Proposed grading is shown at the lease area on Sheet C2B, but this sheet does not include all of the existing trees in the immediate vicinity. The proposed grading appears to fall within the drip lines of trees #159 (a 24" Oak, 77' tall, 620 AMSL), 161 (a 14" Oak, 61' tall, 605 AMSL), 167 (a 24" Oak, 69' tall, 611 AMSL) and 1029 (a 40" twin Oak, 77' tall, 613 AMSL). Concrete piers are proposed as support for the equipment shelter and it appears that four of the six piers are proposed within the drip lines of trees to remain. Documentation from a certified arborist is required to verify that the work required to install the piers and to prepare the lease area will not be detrimental to the health of the trees designated as to remain. The applicant has indicated that a tree conservation plan, with measures limiting impacts on existing trees to remain, will be submitted prior to the application for the building permit. The tree conservation plan will need to be reviewed ARB 8/18/2008 Shackelford - Page 2 and approved before the Certificate of Appropriateness can be issued. Recommendations: Add the existing trees to remain to Sheet C2B. Provide verification from a certified arborist that the work required to install the concrete piers will not be detrimental to the health of any trees designated to remain. Provide a tree conservation plan with measures proposed that would limit impacts of this proposal on all existing trees designated to remain. Include any additional recommendations from the arborist for maintaining the health of the trees on the drawings. Issue: Pole Height Comments: At the balloon test, the balloon was flown at 10' above the height of the reference tree and at 7' above the height of the reference tree. There was a material distance in the visibility when the balloon was reduced in height from 10' to 7' above the treetop. Recommendations: Reduce the height of the proposed monopole to not exceed 7' above the top of the reference tree. Issue: Tree Removal Comments: 19 trees of 6" caliper or greater are proposed to be removed from the project area. Some of these trees are very large, mature trees. They are not located between the site and the EC, so they are not expected to impact the view from the EC. Nevertheless, the loss of mature trees is not considered a positive aspect of the proposal. Recommendations: The applicant is encouraged to revise the plans to maintain grading outside the drip line of all trees to remain to the greatest extent possible. Issue: Critical Slopes Waiver Request Comments: The proposed development would impact 122 sf of critical slopes, all of which is located within the proposed access road. The applicant has indicated that these slopes are all man-made slopes created in association with the construction and widening of Stony Point Pass. These areas are not visible from the Route 20 Entrance Corridor. Recommendations: None. SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS Staff recommends the following as the primary points of discussion: 1. Visibility of the balloon /pole at 10' and 7' above the top of the reference tree 2. Tree removal Staff recommends approval of a Certificate of Appropriateness with the following conditions: 1. Add the existing trees to remain to Sheet C213. 2. Provide verification from a certified arborist that the work required to install the concrete piers and to prepare the lease area will not be detrimental to the health of any trees designated to remain. Provide a tree conservation plan with measures proposed that would limit impacts of this proposal on all existing trees designated to remain. Include any additional recommendations from the arborist for maintaining the health of the trees on the drawings. 3. Reduce the height of the proposed monopole to not exceed 7' above the top of the reference tree. 4. The applicant is encouraged to revise the plans to maintain grading outside the drip line of all trees to remain along the access road to the greatest extent possible. ARB 8/18/2008 Shackelford - Page 3 Photo of balloon flown at 10' above the top of the reference tree. Photo of balloon flown at 7' above the top of the reference tree. ARB 8/18/2008 Shackelford - Page 4