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Plan Review Detail
Review Status: Completed
Review Details: REZONING - ZE HEARING
Plan Number - T15SE00014
Review Name: REZONING - ZE HEARING
Review Status: Completed
| Review Date | Reviewer's Name | Type of Review | Description | Status | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 03/31/2015 | KEN BROUILLETTE | FIRE | REVIEW | Approved | |
| 04/14/2015 | STEVE SHIELDS | ZONING | REVIEW | Completed | PDSD TRANSMITTAL TO: Rezoning Division FROM: Steve Shields Lead Planner PROJECT: Verizon Cell Tower - New Cell Site 4245 E GRANT RD, Parcel 110-07-341A - C-1 Special Exception - SE-15-14 TRANSMITTAL: April 14, 2015 The proposed "Wireless Communication, limited to wireless communication towers and antennae", located on parcel Parcel 133-15-2920, zoned C-1. The use falls under UDC Table 4.8-4 PERMITTED USES COMMERCIAL AND MIXED USEZONES - Permitted as Special Exception Use, [1] Mayor and Council Special Exception Procedure, Section 3.4.4 . The following Use Specific Standards apply: 4.9.13.O & 4.9.4.I.2, .3, & .7. 1. The following dimensional Standards apply see UDC TABLE 6.3-4.A: DIMENSIONAL STANDARDS FOR THE C-1, C-2, C-3, OCR-1, & OCR-2 ZONES a. Minimum site area = 0 Sq. Ft. b. Proposed site area = 10,014 Sq. Ft. c. Maximum building height allowed = 30 feet d. Building height proposed = Not Provided. 2. The submitted plan, showing the proposed Wireless Communication is acceptable to continue the review for the zoning examiner's report. 3. The following item needs to be noted at this time: As modifications to the vehicle use area are proposed a development package will be required to show that the requirements of UDC Article 7.4 and TSM Section 7 are met. If you have any questions about this transmittal, please call Steve Shields, (520) 836-4956 or email Steve.Shields@tucsonaz.gov. |
| 04/15/2015 | DBURSUC1 | COMMUNITY PLANNING | REVIEW | Completed | PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT SERVICES SE-15-14 Verizon - Grant Road C-1 Zone (Special Exception) Plan Tucson and Grant-Alvernon Area Plan 04/08/15 DB Background: This is a special exception land use request in a C-1 commercial zone, to allow the installation and operation of a wireless communications facility (WCF) consisting of a monopole communication tower with twelve (12) antennas, at a height of sixty (60) feet, including an unmanned pre-fabricated ground equipment shelter, located within a 13'x40' lease area. The proposed WCF site will be located approximately 95 feet north of Grant Road and 67 feet west of Columbus Boulevard, at the address of 4245 East Grant Road. The applicant is proposing to locate the WCF ground equipment within an area screened by an eight (8) foot tall chain link fence. The proposed 48kW diesel driven generator and a Sunwest Cabinet will be on a concrete pad located within the chain link fence. A twelve foot wide access easement for the WCF site will be provided from Swan Road. The access easement is located within an existing driveway. The nearest residential unit is located approximately forty-five feet to the south of the proposed WCF site. According to the Major Streets and Routes Plan, Grant Road is designated as an arterial street and Columbus is designated as a collector street. Surrounding Zoning and Land Uses: The parcels surrounding the WCF site to the north, east (across Columbus Boulevard) and west are zoned C-1 (Commercial Zone) and developed with a mix commercial retail. Parcels to the south (across Grant) are zoned C-2 (Commercial Zone) with more intense commercial. Additionally, parcels approximately 100 feet north of the site are zoned R-2 and developed with a mix of multi-family and single-family residential. Rezoning Presubmittal Meeting: The applicant attended a presubmittal conference meeting on January 28, 2015. Meeting discussions included issues of the proposed reduction of parking spaces, site vehicular maneuverability, how to better mitigate visual impact on surrounding development, and reduction of setbacks to the residential zone to the north. Applicant was asked to consider using a masonry wall to enclose the ground equipment in place of the chain link fence to help reduce visual impact and was asked to provide a parking plan / former site plan to ensure site meets requirements for parking and site vehicular maneuverability. Applicant was also asked to consider a monopine in place of the monopalm, as it may be more appropriate considering the mature pine trees in the area. Neighborhood Meeting: The applicant held a neighborhood meeting, on February 18, 2015 from 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM, at American Economy Insurance, located at 4245 East Grant Road. Applicant has provided the required neighborhood meeting material: mailing notification, copy of labels, notice letter, meeting summary, and sign-in sheet. One representative from the Ward 6 office attended the meeting. Neighborhood meeting minutes indicated there were no objections to the proposed WCF special exception request. Land Use Policies: The Grant-Alvernon Area Plan and the Plan Tucson both provide land use guidance for this site. According to the Grant-Alvernon Area Plan's conceptual land use map, the site supports commercial land uses. More specifically, Commercial Policy 6 discourages wireless communication arrays unless concealed, disguised, or collocated antennae arrays unless concealed, disguised, or collocated on existing buildings or structures. Plan Tucson identifies this area in the Future Growth Scenario Map as an "existing neighborhood" category. The Plan supports existing neighborhoods and commercial districts to encourage new services and amenities that contribute further to neighborhood stability. Plan Tucson, guidelines LT28.1.2, supports telecommunication facilities to be installed and maintained to minimize visual impact and preserve views. LT28.1.3 states that WCF to be designed with improved appearances of the above ground structures and utilities, and extend access to high-tech wireless communication facilities throughout the city. Analysis: The applicant proposes a wireless communications facility consisting of a cell tower disguised as a palm tree (monopalm) in the parking lot of an existing insurance company located at 4245 E Grant Road. The site is zoned C-1. The monopalm has a proposed height to top of artificial palm fronds of 60 feet with associated ground equipment to be housed within a equipment shelter (10'5" in height). Lease area is 13' x 14' surrounded a 8-foot chain link fence with painted solid slats. The monopalm stealth design concept has been accepted as an approach that improves visual disguise and reduces visual impacts. The nearest residential neighborhood is located to the north with the nearest residential home approximately 115 feet away from the monopalm and equipment area. The monopalm and equipment area is also approximately 8 feet from the property line to the north. The special exception site is located within the "existing neighborhood" area identified in Plan Tucson. The Plan supports existing neighborhoods and commercial districts to encourage new services and amenities that contribute further to neighborhood stability. Specific direction is provided in Chapter 3 - The Built Environment, under Guidelines LT28.1.2 and LT28.1.3. These policies support telecommunication facilities when they are installed and maintained to minimize visual impact and preserve views, and their design improves the appearance of above ground utilities and structures. According to the Grant-Alvernon Area Plan, the special exception site is located within an Office, Commercial, High-Density Residential area. For these areas, the plan contains guidance on wireless communication facilities in Office and Commercial Land Use Policy 6, which discourages wireless communication antennae arrays unless concealed, disguised, or collocated on existing buildings or structure. In general, the applicant has addressed the policies directed by Plan Tucson and the Grant-Alvernon Area Plan, given the use of a stealth design (monopalm), the location of the related equipment area within an existing commercial lot, the distance from the nearest residential structure; the ground equipment area that is screened by a fence and out of view of the general public (except for those utilizing Arizona Economy Insurance), and issues of compatibility and view sheds from adjacent residential neighborhoods to the north. Due to the use of a diesel backup generator, staff recommends the use of a masonry wall in place of chain-link fence to mitigate noise. Staff also acknowledges that the proposed WCF will help improve telecom services to the established neighborhoods and businesses in the area which addresses Plan policy. Therefore the request is consistent with the Grant-Alvernon Area Plan (GAAP) and Plan Tucson policy direction. This request for a WCF does not require a plan amendment. Staff offers the following special exception conditions for consideration: 1. Ground equipment shall be painted to blend and minimize visual impacts; " PT, Chapter 3, The Built Environment, Set 1 All Developments, Guidelines - LT28.1.2, and LT28.1.3 2. Maximum height of monopalm shall not exceed 60 feet measured to top of fronds as shown on Preliminary Development Plan dated March 17, 2015; " PT, Chapter 3, The Built Environment, Set 1 All Developments, Guidelines - LT28.1.2, and LT28.1.3 " GAAP, Office and commercial Land Uses, Policy 6 3. Any graffiti visible from the public right-of-way or area residential development shall be removed within seventy-two (72) hours of observation; " PT, Chapter 3, The Built Environment, Set 1 All Developments, Guidelines - LT28.1.2, and LT28.1.3 4. Ground equipment to be located within lease area and within an enclosed shelter, as represented on Preliminary Development Plan dated March 17, 2015; " PT, Chapter 3, The Built Environment, Set 1 All Developments, Guidelines - LT28.1.2, and LT28.1.3 5. Existing masonry wall constructed surrounding equipment to be painted to match surrounding areas to screen noise and view shed of lease area from on-site commercial land uses and surrounding land-uses. " PT, Chapter 3, The Built Environment, Set 1 All Developments, Guidelines - LT28.1.2, and LT28.1.3 |
| 04/20/2015 | DBURSUC1 | LANDSCAPE | REVIEW | Completed | DATE: April 14, 2015 TO: Daniel Bursuck, Planner FROM: Irene Ogata, PLA, ASLA, CPM Planning & Development Services Urban Landscape Manager SUBJECT: Case : SE-15-14 Verizon - Grant Road The proposed preliminary development plan is for installation of a wireless communications facility with a 55-foot tall cell tower disguised as a monopalm with associated ground equipment in an existing parking lot. The City of Tucson has been moving toward achieving sustainable development, mitigation of Urban Heat Islands, climate change resiliency and green building principles. In addition to the recently adopted and voter ratified Plan Tucson: Tucson's General and Sustainability Plan 2013, Mayor and Council endorsed the United Nations Urban Environmental Accords in 2005, adopted the US Mayors' Climate Protection Agreement in 2006, endorsed the City of Tucson Urban Landscape Framework and adopted the City's Framework for Advancing Sustainability in 2008. Surfaces, such as paving from roadways and asphalt parking areas contribute to approximately 40% of impervious surfaces in a city. These impervious surfaces, in turn, contribute to increasing urban heat islands. The unintended consequences expose populations within neighborhoods that are vulnerable during extreme heat events; and also increasing energy use due to the need to cool homes and facilities. Limiting heat-absorbent paved surfaces, increasing reflectivity of these paved surfaces, providing shade (trees and/or shade structures) or pervious surfaces mitigate the heat absorption quality of dark pavement. The City encourages developers to work with staff to apply best management practices to mitigate urban heat island effects, reduce energy consumption and work towards community resiliency. 1. Relevant Policy/Ordinance: a. General Service Architecture and Engineering Division, Design and Construction Standards, Division 7: Thermo and Moisture Protection b. Plan Tucson Policies i. Energy & Climate Readiness 1) EC3: Reduce the urban heat island effect by minimizing heat generation and retention from the built environment using a range of strategies. 2) EC9: Assess and address the vulnerability of the community's health and safety, economy, and natural resources to climate change, and develop assurances that vulnerable and disadvantaged populations are not disproportionately impacted by climate change. ii. Green Infrastructure: 1) GI4: Expand and maintain a healthy, drought-tolerant, low-water use tree canopy and urban forest to provide ecosystem services, mitigate the urban heat island and improve the attractiveness of neighborhoods and the city as a whole and; 2) GI6: Protect, restore, enhance, and manage trees for their long-term health, including providing guidance on proper planting, care and maintenance. 2. Targets in the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement applicable to this site include: C.5. Make energy efficiency a priority through building code improvements, retrofitting city facilities with energy efficient lighting and urging employees to conserve energy and save money; C.7. Practice and promote sustainable building practices using the U.S. Green building Council's LEED program or a similar system; C.10. Maintain healthy urban forests; promote tree planting to increase shading and to absorb CO2 The following conditions of rezoning are requested for this project: 1. Building structures shall include roofing material certified as a cool roof by the Cool Roof Rating Council or Energy Star rated per the Environmental Protection Agency; solar panels are an acceptable alternative. 2. Paving material: If paving to be replaced or new, provide light colored vehicular paving materials, such as concrete or cool paving coating over asphaltic surfaces. Porous paving or porous pavers would also be an acceptable alternative. 3. If mature trees cannot be preserved in place and need to be removed, one of the following mitigation measures can be applied: a) trees are to be assessed for replacement value using an acceptable assessment methodology (International Society of Aborist); funds set aside in a Tree Bank to be used for revegetation/landscape enhancement and/or improvements within street rights-of-way, or within common space areas within the neighborhood association; b) the following replacement to be in addition to the required landscape 1) Trunk diameter 0-6" = replace with 3 trees, minimum 15 gal. 2) Trunk diameter >6" - 8" = replace with 4 trees, minimum 15 gal. 3) Trunk diameter >8" = replace with 5 trees, minimum 15 gal. |
| 04/20/2015 | DBURSUC1 | DOT ENGINEERING | REVIEW | Completed | |
| 04/20/2015 | DBURSUC1 | ENV SVCS | REVIEW | Completed | |
| 04/20/2015 | DBURSUC1 | ENGINEERING | REVIEW | Completed | |
| 04/20/2015 | JOSE ORTIZ | DOT TRAFFIC | REVIEW | Completed | |
| 04/20/2015 | DBURSUC1 | REZ AGENCY REVIEW | PARKS & RECREATION | Completed | |
| 04/20/2015 | HEATHER THRALL | SIGNS | SIGN CODE REVIEW | Completed | |
| 04/20/2015 | DBURSUC1 | TUCSON WATER NEW AREA DEVELOPMENT | REVIEW | Completed | |
| 04/20/2015 | DBURSUC1 | REZ AGENCY REVIEW | OFFICE OF CONSERVATION & SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT | Completed | |
| 04/20/2015 | DBURSUC1 | REZ AGENCY REVIEW | PIMA ASSN OF GOVTS | Completed | |
| 04/20/2015 | DBURSUC1 | REZ AGENCY REVIEW | PIMA CNTY WASTEWATER | Completed | |
| 04/20/2015 | DBURSUC1 | REZ AGENCY REVIEW | SCHOOL DISTRICT | Completed | |
| 04/20/2015 | DBURSUC1 | REZ AGENCY REVIEW | ADOT | Completed | |
| 04/20/2015 | DBURSUC1 | REZ AGENCY REVIEW | TDOT RTA | Completed | |
| 04/20/2015 | DBURSUC1 | REZ AGENCY REVIEW | TDOT STREETS | Completed | |
| 04/20/2015 | DBURSUC1 | REZ AGENCY REVIEW | OTHER AGENCIES | Completed |