Title/Name/Summary
Verizon Co-Location - Special Use Permit
History
QUICKFACTS
Project
Verizon Co-Location
Petitioner
Mr. Ray Shinkle
Purpose
The purpose of this petition is to construct, operate and maintain a telecommunications utility substation at an existing wireless communication facility at the OFPD Fire Station No. 3 to service a proposed co-location happening on the onsite existing lattice cell tower.
Requested Actions: Site Plan, Special Use Permit (with modifications), Landscape Plan,
Project Attributes
Address: 15101 Wolf Road
P.I.N.(s): 27-17-100-006
Size: 1,000 square feet
Comprehensive Plan Planning District: Centennial Planning District
Comprehensive Land Designation: Community and Institutional
Existing Zoning: R-3 Residential District
Existing Land Use: Orland Fire Protection District Fire Station No. 3
Surrounding Land Use:
North: LSPD Large Scale Planned Development - Vacant/ Agricultural
South: R-3 Residential District - Vacant/ Agricultural
East: R-3 Residential District - Vacant/ Agricultural
West: R-3 Residential District - (across Wolf Road) Spring Creek Subdivision
Preliminary Engineering: Preliminary engineering has been granted. Please refer to the Detailed Planning Discussion section for more details.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION & CONTEXT
Verizon Wireless proposes to establish a wireless communication facility installation at Orland Fire Protection District Fire Station No. 3 at 15101 Wolf Road. The installation will include re-engineering the existing 142 foot tall lattice communication tower at the rear of the property to co-locate and mount a single antenna array at approximately 100 feet elevation.
The installation of the array requires the establishment of an additional ground equipment enclosure separate from the tower’s existing enclosure. The existing enclosure containing the ground equipment for the other two arrays on the tower is located at the rear of the fire station building (adjacent to the rear wall). The proposed new enclosure will be located opposite the existing enclosure, across the parking lot in a lawn space on the southeast side of the site.
The proposed enclosure site includes the addition of a communication shelter, which Sections 6-204.C.11 and C.12 of the Land Development Code, R-3 Residential District, determine to be a utility substation and a wireless communication facility on an institutional parcel respectively. As a result, a special use permit is required for this project.
This petitioner requests the following modifications:
1) Enable the location of a utility sub-station within 25 feet of a side lot line.
The recommendation motion includes the following conditions:
1) Install a 100% opaque fence surrounding the ground equipment enclosure on all four sides.
2) Preserve both trees marked for removal on the proposed landscape plan unless a reasonable condition exists that prevents the shelter structure from meeting Code required side setbacks. In that case, mitigate any tree loss at a one to one ratio and update the landscape plan.
3) Meet the Code required side setback requirement of 22.2 feet from the east property line.
4) Add three more arborvitae trees to the northeast façade of the ground equipment enclosure to ensure any protrusions of the shelter structure above the fence line is screened from view of future residential development.
Overall, the project conforms to the Village’s Comprehensive Plan, Land Development Codes and policies for this area.
SITE PLAN
The proposed site plan will add a new ground equipment enclosure to OFPD Fire Station No. 3 at approximately the southeast corner of the rectangular site. The enclosure itself will be located near the perimeter of the site, across the parking lot from the southeast façade of the building, where the existing building mechanicals, garbage enclosure and lattice tower and accessory ground equipment enclosure are currently located.
Beyond the addition of the new ground equipment enclosure containing the new shelter, no other changes are proposed to the site plan.
For a discussion on setbacks, see the Detailed Planning Discussion below.
MOBILITY
OFPD Fire Station No. 3 is accessible from Wolf Road, a major arterial under IDOT jurisdiction. 151st Street is platted on the north side of the fire station site, however the roadway has not been constructed. 151st Street between Will-Cook Road and Wolf Road is a local minor arterial street.
The proposed site plan indicates that a 12 foot wide access easement on the south drive aisle will provide access to the proposed new enclosure.
BUILDING ELEVATIONS
The proposed ground equipment enclosure will contain a concrete trimmed prefabricated 10 foot tall shelter structure. The shelter will contain various panels and instruments for the array as well as an emergency back-up generator to maintain power and functionality for the array.
Northwest Elevation - Sheet B-2 “Equipment Enclosure Elevation” (Illustration 1)
The northwest facing elevation includes two access doors and cable entry port. Each door has a cantilevered canopy to protect from the elements.
Southeast Elevation - Sheet B-2 (Illustration 3)
The southwest facing elevation includes a series of vents, cable entry ports, power ports and a louvre.
Northeast Elevation - Sheet B-2 (Illustration 4)
The northeast facing elevation includes two HVAC units and a cable port.
Southwest Elevation - Sheet B-2 (Illustration 2)
The southwest facing elevation includes a louvre exhaust and a generator exhaust vent.
Fence - Sheet C-4 “Site Details”
The plans indicate that an 8 foot tall fence is proposed to enclose the shelter area on all four sides. Gates will face the parking lot for immediate access. The fence on Sheet C-4, however, is shown as having PVC posts and alternating vinyl face boards that are 50% opaque. The Land Development Code requires that the fence be 100% opaque. As such, the fence on the enclosure must be 100% opaque since a modification will not be issued.
LANDSCAPING/TREE MITIGATION
Sheet L2 of the submitted plan set includes a landscaping plan for the proposed ground equipment enclosure. The proposed landscape plan follows the parameters of the suggested landscaping plan that the Village requires wireless communication providers to install whenever ground equipment facilities are impacted at cell tower sites.
The proposed plan is showing the loss of two existing trees. Mitigation for these trees may not be required if the proposed ground equipment enclosure meets the required side setback. For more information on the required side setback see the Detailed Planning Discussion below.
Both trees marked for removal shall be preserved based on the side setback discussion in the Detailed Planning Discussion.
If there is a reasonable condition that precludes the enclosure from moving to meet the side setback requirement, the mitigation requirements for the loss of these two trees will be one to one to be met through the landscape plan requirements for this site.
For additional plant material in relation to screening, see the Building Height section in the Detailed Planning Discussion below.
DETAILED PLANNING DISCUSSION
Preliminary Engineering
Preliminary engineering has been granted for this project.
Special Use Permit
A special use permit is required per Section 6-204.C.11 and C.12 for utility substations and wireless communication facilities on institutional parcels. The proposed ground equipment enclosure contains a shelter facility with generator and ground based equipment for the antenna array 100 feet up on the existing lattice tower. This is considered a utility substation by the Land Development Code.
Modifications to the special use permit include:
1. Enable the location of a utility sub-station within 25 feet of a side lot line.
When considering an application for special use permit, the decision making body shall consider the eight special use standards listed in the Code. The petitioner has provided responses to the Special Use Standards.
Land Use/Compatibility
The proposed land use (utility substation) is compatible with the existing wireless communication facility currently located at OFPD Fire Station No. 3. Via the special use permit it is also compatible with the R-3 Residential District, since it will provide additional communication facilities for future residents.
Lot Coverage
The proposed ground equipment enclosure is approximately 1,000 square feet, which is only 1.5% of the total land area of the site-a negligible addition to the lot coverage. The lease area of the enclosure will not be paved, according to the plan set.
Setbacks
East Property Line Side Setback
Required: 22.2 feet (10% of lot width in R-3 district)
Provided: 12.5 feet
The proposed site plan indicates that the easternmost corner of the shelter structure is 12.5 feet from the side lot line of the OFPD Fire Station No. 3. This does not meet the Code required setback of 22.2 feet for this property.
The entire ground equipment enclosure shall be moved southwesterly by 15 feet to place the easternmost corner of the shelter structure 22.2 feet from the property line. This relocation will enable the preservation of two existing trees on the property that have been marked on the site plan for removal because of the proposed placement.
Moving the shelter structure and the equipment enclosure southwesterly on the site will mean the rear setback will be about 40 feet (30 feet is required).
Unless there is sufficient reason to not meet the setback (i.e. pipeline easement etc.) all new construction must meet bulk setback requirements.
Building Height
The proposed height of the shelter structure is 10 feet. The maximum height for the opaque fence screening is 8 feet. Two feet will protrude above the fence and will be visible from neighboring properties. The proposed landscape plan provides some screening capable of covering the two foot gap at the northeast corner of the shelter structure. However, this does not fully screen the two foot height difference from future residential development areas to the northeast.
Additional arborvitae shall be added to the northeast façade of the ground equipment enclosure to ensure any protrusions of the shelter structure above the fence line is screened from view of future residential development.
Mechanicals/Utility Conduits
All mechanical equipment must be screened with landscaping or hidden behind a fence.
This is now before Plan Commission for consideration.
Recommended Action/Motion
I move to accept as findings of fact of this Plan Commission the findings of fact set forth in this staff report, dated September 9, 2015
And
I move to recommend to the Village Board of Trustees to approve the preliminary site plans titled “Enlarged Site Plan”, sheet C-1, and “Site Grading Plan”, sheet C-2, prepared by Chicago SMSA and TERRA Consulting Group, Ltd., dated May 22, 2014, last revised August 21, 2015, subject to the following conditions:
1) Install a 100% opaque fence surrounding the ground equipment enclosure on all four sides.
2) Preserve both trees marked for removal on the proposed landscape plan unless a reasonable condition exists that prevents the shelter structure from meeting Code required side setbacks. In that case, mitigate any tree loss at a one to one ratio and update the landscape plan.
3) Petitioner will work with staff to arrive at a mutually agreeable side setback requirement from the east property line.
4) Add three more arborvitae trees to the northeast façade of the ground equipment enclosure to ensure any protrusions of the shelter structure above the fence line is screened from view of future residential development.
5) Meet all final engineering and building code related items.
and
I move to recommend to the Village Board of Trustees to approve the Elevations titled “Site Elevation”, sheet ANT-1, and “Equipment Enclosure Elevations”, sheet B-2, dated May 22, 2015, last revised August 21, 2015, subject to the same above conditions.
and
I move to recommend to the Village Board of Trustees to approve a special use permit for a wireless communication facility at OFPD Fire Station No. 3 in the R-3 Residential District and on an institutional parcel subject to the same conditions as outlined in the preliminary site plan motion. Modifications to the special use permit include:
1) Enable the location of a utility sub-station within 25 feet of a side lot line.
All changes must be made prior to the Board meeting.
JACOBS: Second.