HomeMy WebLinkAboutSP201100008 Legacy Document 2011-08-22 (4)4 46
COUNTY OF ALBEMARLE
Department of Community Development
401 McIntire Road, North Wing
Charlottesville, Virginia 22902 -4596
Phone (434) 296 -5832 Fax (434) 972 -4126
MEMORANDUM
TO: Gerald Gatobu
FROM: Margaret Maliszewski
RE: ARB201100038 and SP201100008: Catholic Diocese (AT &T)
DATE: April 27, 2011
Based on the drawings with revision date of 4/17/2011, I have the following comments on the AT &T telecommunications
facility proposed for the Catholic Diocese site.
Reeardine the ground equipment
The revised plan shows additional landscaping — a mix of trees and shrubs — to be planted east of the entrance into the site
and between the EC and the lease area. The proposed plants are expected to help reduce the visibility of the compound
from the Entrance Corridor (as compared to the original submittal), and the mix should help maintain a somewhat natural
appearance.
The location of the ground equipment and lease area do still cause concern. A location so close to the road without
significant existing vegetation for screening, even when a fence and landscaping are proposed, could still be overly
noticeable simply based on the proximity to the road. M ore distant locations with more dense vegetative screening
already in place are more appropriate for the Entrance Corridors. Once constructed and planted, the resulting visibility of
this facility can serve as an example — good or bad — for future proposals of this type. Also note for future proposals, that
simply enclosing the ground equipment with a fence is not necessarily considered sufficient screening. A fenced
compound will typically look like a fenced compound, especially when sited close to the road, and when the road is an
Entrance Corridor, the structure (fenced compound) should be fully integrated with the surrounding landscape.
Reeardin¢ the sitine of the pole
The balloon test revealed that the proposed siting of the facility would allow the pole to be visible, at intervals, a distance
of approximately 1.5 miles along Route 20, from Dyers Mill Lane on the north to the vicinity of 7534 Scottsville Road
(TMP 130 -18) at the south. Traveling southbound, the view of the pole changes from a very distant view above the trees
at Dyers Mill Lane, to the pole in the trees in the vicinity of Totier Creek Farm, Maple Hill Farms and Langhorne Road, to
a nearly clear view of the pole at the entrance drive to the church. Traveling northbound, the pole was visible above the
trees just north of 7534 Scottsville Road, then was hidden by the wooded area along Route 20, then was visible again
above the trees at the entrance drive to the Scottsville pool and on to the site. The balloon test was conducted when the
trees were still without leaves; consequently, the summertime view of the pole is expected to be better mitigated than was
the view at the balloon test. A siting of the pole that provides better mitigation during the months of the year when the
leaves are off the trees would be more appropriate for the Entrance Corridor, but the summertime view is expected to be
sufficiently minimized.
ATTACHMENT C