HomeMy WebLinkAboutARB201700123 Action Letter 2018-01-12COUNTY OF ALBEMARLE
Department of Community Development
401 McIntire Road, North Wing
Charlottesville, Virginia 22902-4596
Phone (434) 296-5832 Fax (434) 972-4126
January 12, 2018
Edward L.Donohue
117 Oronoco St
Alexandria Va 22314
RE: ARB-2017-123: Keswick Personal Wireless Service Facility
Dear Mr. Donohue,
The Albemarle County Architectural Review Board, at its meeting on January 8, 2018, reviewed the above noted
petition to establish a telecommunications facility consisting of a 149' steel monopole with associated equipment.
The ARB took the following actions:
Regarding the ground equipment and base station
The Board, by a vote of 5:0, approved the application with staff administrative approval of the following revision
because the proposed facility is not consistent with all applicable guidelines.
1. Create denser landscape screening, including deciduous trees, on the northern property line to eliminate
visibility of the fenced compound from the EC.
2. Consider alternative landscaping closer to the compound to more successfully integrate the facility into the
landscape. The 1/8/2018 plan is more appropriate than the original planting plan. However, native species
should be considered in a naturalistic pattern.
Please provide:
1. One full set of revised drawings addressing each of these conditions. Include updated ARB revision dates on
each drawing.
2. A memo including detailed responses indicating how each condition has been satisfied. If changes other than
those requested have been made, identify those changes in the memo also. Highlighting the changes in the
drawing with "clouding" or by other means will facilitate review and approval.
3. The attached "Revised Application Submittal" form. This form must be returned with your revisions to ensure
proper tracking and distribution.
When staffs review of this information indicates that all conditions of approval have been met, a Certificate of
Appropriateness may be issued.
Regarding the visibility of the monopole
The Board, by a vote of 5:0, forwarded the following recommendation to the agent:
1. The ARB finds that the proposed location will not sufficiently minimize the visibility ofthe monopole from
the Entrance Corridors.
a. Additional landscape screening could sufficiently mitigate the view from the 164 exit ramp.
b. Landscape screening cannot mitigate the visual impacts of the proposal on the Rt. 250 EC.
2. The special exceptions requested for the number of arrays, standoff distance, and pole diameter will serve
to further increase the visibility of the facility and are, therefore, not supported.
3. A pole color that contrasts less with the sky would further limit visibility.
If you have any questions concerning any of the above, please feel free to contact me.
Sincerely,
Heather McMahon
Senior Planner
CC: Virginia Oil Company Incorporated C/O Frayser White, South Creek Inv
1100 Harris Street
Charlottesville Va 22902