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HomeMy WebLinkAboutARB201600018 Staff Report 2016-04-12ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD STAFF REPORT Project #/Name ARB -2015-18: Albemarle High School Telecommunications Facility Review Type Special Use Permit for a Personal Wireless Service Facility Parcel Identification 060000000078AO Location 190 Lambs Lane, on the west side of Hydraulic Road, south of Lambs Road, east of the baseball field and south of the football field, approximate) 1200' from the EC Zoned Rural Areas (RA)/Entrance Corridor (EC) Owner/Applicant County of Albemarle School Board/Milestone Communications (Kristen Stelzer) Magisterial District Jack Jouett Proposal To install a 125' -tall steel monopole, three arrays of platform -mounted antennas, and associated ground -equipment in a 2600 sf compound. Context A mix of institutional, residential and commercial uses is found along Hydraulic Road. Residential developments surround the school property. A view of the mountains is available from the Entrance Corridor beyond the school. Visibility The proposed pole and antennas would be visible along Hydraulic Road from approximately 200' north of the Lambs Road intersection (at the Connect Church) to the intersection with Georgetown Road. From the Hydraulic Road entrance to the school north, open views are available. From the entrance south, trees on- and off-site reduce views. ARB Meeting Date April 18, 2016 Staff Contact Margaret Maliszewski SITE HISTORY The ARB has previously completed reviews of additions, renovations, and parking lot changes at Albemarle High School. A balloon test for the current proposal was held on March 16, 2016. I9:101 BE" 817 D1ll:1lski • Install a 125' tall galvanized steel monopole. • Establish a 2600 sf fenced compound approximately 1200' from the EC accessed from Lamb's Road. • Install three antenna arrays with centers at 125', 115' and 105'. The top array would rise an additional 2' above the top of the pole. • The top antenna array is intended for county schools wireless services. It includes 4 antennas in each of 3 sectors, plus 2 distribution boxes and 2 surge suppressors. Each leg of the antenna frame measures 13' long. The tri -sector arrangement allows for future upgrades. • The second antenna array is intended for AT&T. It includes 4 antennas in each of 3 sectors. Antenna sizes for this array are shown as 72.9" x 11.9" x 7.1". • The illustrations show a third array for future use. • The height of the pole would allow for three antenna arrays in addition to those just described. • Initial ground equipment would include an equipment cabinet, an equipment shelter, generator, cabinet, and utility stand. • One tree would be removed and one utility pole would be relocated to accommodate the facility. • Virginia Pines would be planted around the compound. • 9 parking spaces would be established northeast of the facility for school use. • Special Exceptions are requested as outlined below. MIIIID177DINW1.1►181QIall) 7uRNIce)eI FCC regulations would apply to a tower constructed as proposed in this application. The regulations would limit the County's ability to review additional uses and modifications to the facility once constructed. The County may only deny changes to the facility if: • The tower is increased in height by more than 20% or • Antenna or other equipment would protrude more than 20' from the tower; or • More than 4 ground-based cabinets are added; or • Excavation occurs outside the lease area; or • The change would defeat concealment elements. Please see Attachment A for additional information on this issue. SPECIAL EXCEPTION REQUESTS Standard Requirement Special Exception Requested Applicant's Reasoning Staff Comment 5.1.40.b(2)(c) Projection shall be Permit arrays that will stand off This increases the level of coverage, The proposed facility would only no greater than 12" from facility from the monopole greater than 18". maximizes network capacity, and look like the existing ball field pole to closest point of back of antenna provides for future upgrades. This lights if the pole height matches the and no greater than 18" to furthest configuration will look like the height of the ball field poles and if point of back of antenna. existing ball field light poles. the array standoff distance matches that of the ball field attachments, which it doesn't. The special exception should be denied. 5.1.40.b.2(d) Color. Each antenna Permit monopole to retain its gray The gray galvanized steel blends with If the facility is approved at the and associated equipment shall be galvanized steel surface and color existing ball field light poles. The gray height and location proposed, there a color that matches the facility, color is consistent with the color of is no objection to the galvanized structure or building. existing ball field and parking lot pole steel color. However, the facility lights. should maintain consistency with county policy by maintaining minimal visibility, which this proposal does not. ANALYSIS REGARDING THE GROUND EQUIPMENT 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 I Guideline I Issues I Recommendations Accessory structures and equipment 17 The following should be screened to eliminate The ground equipment is not expected to be visible from the Because it is not expected to be visibility from the Entrance Corridor street: Hydraulic Road Entrance Corridor due to the topography of visible from the Entrance e) Mechanical equipment the site and the location of existing buildings and vegetation. Corridor, staff recommends approval of a Certificate of Appropriateness for the ground U&II%IMK's;3DIM N11QIVAIJfy1:31MYM'913aIamIDoOF.To101r1 The ARB may act in an advisory capacity to the Agent as to whether the facility is being sited to minimize its visibility. Ref Guideline Issues Recommendations Development pattern 33 The relationship of buildings Traveling south to north on the corridor, drivers and pedestrians emerge from a The location of the and other structures to the stretch of road with close -placed trees and buildings to an expansive view that facility does not serve to Entrance Corridor street and opens to the west, with Hydraulic Road above the high school site, and a vista minimize visibility of the to other development within opening across the school buildings and parking lot to a clear mountain backdrop. facility. The height of the the corridor should be as This mountain view is relatively short but vastly important. facility and the method of follows: antenna attachment do f. The placement of The facility location, pole height, method of antenna attachment, and lack of tree not serve to minimize structures on the site should cover, individually and combined, would establish a facility with clear visibility visibility. The addition of respect existing views and that diminishes this important vista. The pole and antennas would be extremely the facility, as designed, vistas on and around the site. visible for approximately 800' along the EC, from the entrance to the school north. does not respect existing The pole and antennas would be intermittently visible approximately 1200' south views and vistas. of the entrance to the school. Telecommunications facilities to be The proposed tower height in the proposed location results in an extremely visible constructed on County facility. The balloon test showed that approximately the upper half of the facility property should meet the would be visible from Hydraulic Road. There is no wooded backdrop available for County's established the upper half of the facility. The lower half of the facility would have backdrop or design standards and the would be obstructed by other development. The antenna arrays would be clearly Personal Wireless Service visible from the EC. As confirmed by the photo -simulations, the number and width Facilities Policy, which is of the arrays serve to distinguish the facility from existing parking lot and ball field a component of the light poles. Flush mounted antennas have less visibility than antennas mounted on Comprehensive Plan. tripartite frames whose legs are 13' long. The method of antenna attachment increases visibility and incompatibility of the facility with the surroundings. In the review of several previous applications at other sites, the ARB has supported the addition of antenna arrays of the type proposed in this application to previously existing telecommunications facilities. The rationale for these recommendations was the fact that the facility pre -dated the establishment of the Entrance Corridor and the appearance was already so negative that an additional array could not increase the negative impact on the EC. That rationale clearly indicates a need for redesign of the current proposal as a treetop facility with concealment elements that result in an appropriate appearance for the Entrance Corridor. SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS Regarding the Certificate of Appropriateness for the ground equipment and base station: Because the ground equipment is not expected to be visible from the Entrance Corridor, staff recommends approval of the Certificate of Appropriateness, as proposed, for the ground equipment and base station. Regarding visibility of the monopole: Staff recommends that the ARB forward the following recommendations to the Agent: The ARB does not support the requests for special exceptions and finds that: 1. The location of the facility does not serve to minimize visibility of the facility. 2. The height of the facility and the method of antenna attachment do not serve to minimize visibility. 3. The addition of the facility, as designed, does not respect existing views and vistas. 4. Telecommunications facilities to be constructed on County property should meet the County's established design standards and the Personal Wireless Service Facilities Policy, which is a component of the Comprehensive Plan. TABLE A This report is based on the following submittal items: Sheet # Drawing Name Revision Date T1 Title Sheet 3/14/16 Z1 Site Plan 3/14/16 Z2 Enlarged Site Plan 3/14/16 Z3 2000' radius, 10' contour map 3/14/16 Cl Compound Plan 3/14/16 C2 Landscape Plan 3/14/16 C3 Elevation 3/14/16 C4 Construction Details 3/14/16 Al Antenna Layout and Schedule 3/14/16 A2 Antenna Layout and Schedule 3/14/16 1-4 Site Photos - - Photosimulations (2 sets provided; one based on applicant's information prior to submittal, second set based on photos of 3/16/2016 balloon test) - 1-13 Project description and request for Special Exceptions 2/16/16 ATTACHMENT A x f- '� Counts of Albemarle Department of Community Development llemoraudum To; Christopher Perez Fmm: Sill Fritz, 3ICP Date: Nin -ch 21, 2616 Subject: SP 2016-04 Albemarle High School Communication F"ty If this application is approved it will be impacted bythe FCC's action published January S, 2015 which includes proyisiom addressing State and Local P nriew• ofApplicaticm for Wireless Senice Facility Modification. The FCC rule, in part, limits the ability of the County to review additional uses and modifications to wireless facilities_ The County's ability to deny additional antenna modification of antenna and increases in the tower height is limited. The County may only deny changes to the facility if - The tower is increased in height by more than 20 feet; or - Antenna or other equipment would promide mare than twenty feet from the tower; ot - hfore than four ground based cabinets are added; or - Excavation occurs outside the lease arra; or - The change would defeat concealment elements. The Zoning Ordinance defines --concealment elements efthe eligible support structure" (this tower if approved would be an eligible support structure): -Concealment elements of the eligible support structure: Any condition of approvaL inchtding any applicable requirement of section 5.1.4a in effect at the time ofapprocal, established and imposed m the personal wireless sennce facility as a concealment technique and which includes conditions or regulations pertaining to antenna viae, color of the sInxhue and all equipment, antenna mounting techniques, including the requirement that anteni as be flush mounted, ivaxinumr tower diameters at the base and tap, limitations on tower height relative to a reference tree, screening by trees including the restrictions on removing trees that are s reeuing the tower, siting towers so that they are not skylghted, requirements as to how cables should be located on a tower, and the size, location, design, and screening for ground based equipment.- It quipment" It is recoinmended that staff identify for the Board what if any features of the facility may be considered "concealment elements ofthe eligible support snvchtre"_ Ifthe Hoard of Snpenisors approves this request it is recommended that theyidentifywhat , if any, conditions ofapproval should be considered" oncEatment elements of the eligible support structure". Without citing any "concealcient elements ofthe eligible Rg4xni structure" the County will be required to approve any requested changes that do not violate limitations cited abotiT_ Lf you would 11T something to be prepared as an attachment for the staff report please let me know and I will prepare something.