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Home My WebLink AboutARB201100015 Review Comments Preliminary Site Plan 2011-03-28ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD STAFF REPORT Project #/Name ARB- 2011 -15: Scottsville Elementary School (AT &T) Review Type Certificate of Appropriateness for ground equipment; Advisory review for visibility of a monopole Parcel Identification Tax Map 130, Parcel 25P Location 7868 Scottsville Road, on the south/west side of Route 20, approximately 900' east of Fairview Farm Zoned Rural Areas (RA), Entrance Corridor (EC) Owner /Applicant County of Albemarle School Board/Williams Mullen (Valerie Long) Magisterial District Scottsville Proposal To install a Tier 2 telecommunications facility consisting of a 73' monopole and associated ground equipment. Context The proposed site is located on the Route 20 frontage of the Scottsville Elementary School, about 500' south/east of the school entrance drive. The facility is proposed at the edge of the hedgerow that extends along the frontage of the school property and in the Route 20 right -of -way. ARB Meeting Date April 4, 2011 Staff Contact Margaret Maliszewski PROJECT HISTORY Date Application/Discussion Result 2/7/11 SP- 2011 -03 Special Use Permit for the Tier 2 telecommunication facility currently under review by Current Development. 3/9/11 ARB- 2011 -15 Balloon Staff attended a balloon test. The balloon was launched 10' above the top of the reference tree at Test #1 the proposed height of the 73' monopole. Conditions were windy and the balloon did not fly straight. 3/15/11 ARB- 2011 -15 Balloon Staff attended a second balloon test. The balloon was launched 10' above the top of the reference Test #2 tree at the proposed height of the 73' monopole. The weather conditions allowed for a more accurate test. PROJECT DETAILS • Construct a telecommunications facility on 20' x 30' lease area. • Access to the site provided via an access easement off the northeast corner of the driveway that circles the parking lot. • Proposed steel monopole, 73' tall (469'AMSL), height 10' above the top of the reference tree; pole and cables painted SW #6090 Java Brown. • Reference tree is a 12" caliper black locust, 62.9' tall (top elevation 459' AMSL). The reference tree and most of the nearby trees are located in the right -of -way. • Proposed equipment shelter, 11' -9" x 16' 4" x 10' -1" high, on a concrete pad, and ice bridge within fenced compound measuring 20' x 30'; shelter and ground equipment painted SW #6090 Java Brown. • 8' -tall board -on -board fence around compound painted SW #6090 Java Brown. • 2 dead black locust trees to be removed. • Three flush - mounted antennas painted SW #6090 Java Brown, each measuring 4' -3.9" (H) x 12.7" (W) x 2.8" (D), installed with brackets permitting down tilting not to exceed a maximum of 12" between face of pole and outer face of antenna. Top elevation of each antenna to be below top elevation of monopole. ANALYSIS FOR THE CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS FOR THE GROUND EQUIPMENT AND BASE STATION A Certificate of Appropriateness from the ARB is required for the base equipment portion of a proposed telecommunications facility 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 Issue Recommendations Accessory structures and equipment 18 The following should be located to When traveling south on Route 20, a view of the lease area will Revise the plans to eliminate visibility from the Entrance be available as the viewer approaches the school driveway. show the three Corridor street. If, after appropriate Although the view is expected to be somewhat minimized by deciduous trees that siting, these features will still have a distance, the visibility of the pole is expected to add to the stand south of the negative visual impact on the Entrance noticeability of the lease area and its equipment. The applicant entrance drive, the Corridor Street, screening should be proposes a board -on -board fence around the compound and has extent of the provided to eliminate visibility. offered to install a landscape buffer, if required. A landscape existing hedgerow e. Mechanical equipment buffer, integrated with the existing landscaping, would be appropriate. Three deciduous trees stand to the south of the along the right -of- way, and tall shrubs 19 Screening devices should be compatible with the design of the buildings and school entrance drive, separate from the hedgerow that exists integrated with the surrounding natural vegetation and may along the right -of -way. Tall shrubs planted in locations that are existing consist of: a) walls, b) plantings, and c) coordinated with these trees would be appropriate. The existing landscaping to fencing. trees, the extent of the existing hedgerow, and the proposed screen the ground screening plants (with species and planting size identified) should equipment from be clearly identified on the plan. southbound views on Route 20. The hedgerow along the right -of -way, combined with the change in topography between the road and the site, are expected to eliminate visibility of the ground equipment when viewed along the frontage of the site and south of the site. 3 ANALYSIS REGARDING VISIBILITY OF THE MONOPOLE The ARB may act in an advisory capacity to the Planning Commission on the Planning Commission's determination as to whether the facility is being sited to minimize its visibility. Ref Guideline Issue Recommendations Development pattern 39 The relationship of buildings and other When traveling north on the Route 20 Entrance Corridor, the The location of the structures to the Entrance Corridor street balloon was visible for approximately 700' just south of the site. facility does not and to other development within the The view changed quickly from the balloon above the trees with sufficiently corridor should be as follows: no backdrop, to the balloon viewed through deciduous trees, and minimize its f. The placement of structures on the back to the balloon viewed above the trees with no backdrop. visibility from the site should respect existing views and (See Attachment A for a map showing the areas of visibility.) Entrance Corridor. vistas on and around the site. When traveling southbound on the Entrance Corridor, the balloon was visible for approximately 1100', from Fairview Farm to the school entrance drive. It was visible above the trees and was sky -lit with no wooded backdrop from Fairview Farm to the driveway of the church just north/west of the school. During this view the balloon was directly in line with the direction of travel (due in great part to the pole's 13' distance from the right -of -way). From the church driveway to the hedgerow on school property, the balloon was visible through the deciduous trees located south of the school driveway. The balloon test was conducted when leaves were off the trees. Summertime visibility is expected to be further reduced for the views traveling north, but the majority of the view traveling south would not receive much additional mitigation from leaves on the trees. When viewed traveling southbound, the length of the view, the direction of the view, and the distance along which the balloon was sky -lit result in the facility not being sited to sufficiently minimize visibility. SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS Regarding the Certificate of Appropriateness for the ground equipment and base station: Staff recommends approval of the Certificate of Appropriateness with the following condition: 1. Revise the plans to show the three deciduous trees that stand south of the entrance drive, the extent of the existing hedgerow along the right -of -way, and tall shrubs integrated with the existing landscaping to screen the ground equipment from southbound views on Route 20. Regarding visibility of the monopole: Staff recommends that the ARB forward the following recommendation to the Planning Commission: The ARB finds that the proposed location of the facility does not sufficiently minimize its visibility from the Entrance Corridor based on the length of the view, the direction of the view, and the distance along which the balloon was sky -lit when traveling southbound on the Route 20 Entrance Corridor. W ATTACHMENT A Arrows indicate the distance that the balloon was visible along Route 20 South. 0 130.1'J w 4h 130.71 •_ 130,tiR .. Lx i 2S 120 -178 154-`33 ' 1Y}138 130.' 0110 -2 ' = 131 -1F 130,2) fi 10 1JE 3423, 1 xn -75 131 -ix 130,29 1 rqi 3n- 7 0 ATTACHMENT B This report is based on the following submittal items: Sheet # Drawing Name Drawing Date/Revision Date T -1 and T -2 Title Sheet and Legend Revised 12/08/10 N -1 General Notes Revised 12/08/10 SP -1 Survey Plat Revised 6/21/10 AM -1 Area Map Revised 12/08/10 TS -1 Tree Survey Revised 12/08/10 C -1 through C -8 Site Plan Drawings Revised 12/08/10 A -1 Shelter Elevations Revised 12/08/10 S1 Foundation Plan Revised 12/08/10