HomeMy WebLinkAboutDept Report CARMEL BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS
DEPARTMENT REPORT
FEBRUARY 24, 2014
3. (SU)Verizon Wireless Cell Tower, City Center &Pennsylvania
The applicant seeks the following special use approval for a new cell tower in a business district:
Docket No. 14010002 SU ZO CH 25.13:' Towers: Permitted as Special Uses in Business Districts
The site is located northeast of City Center Drive and Pennsylvania Street, and is zoned B-3/Business. Filed
by Dave Coots of Coots, Henke&Wheeler on behalf of Verizon Wireless.
�,►� z ti •a" ,. °°P ' , General Info:
l` i t' -q� �f r°i r® q ,1 <, x, The Petitioner requests Special Use approval
j;t P`'- `" ,. 1 �� ,;; , 5,0 , ti '. , ,:„. '' ” !».$ for a new cell tower northeast of Pennsylvania
{ �, F , � A u,.. Street and City Center Drive. This site is
1x 1('!":"4;:;, $r„ `> ti d fi "'" i ."1 .1 d p surrounded by commercial development. The
° r �`. ' _;� ` ,i, ` ,#=fi ' t r i "° proposed tower will be 100 feet tall with an
r " l ¢4 t,,,S 4,4:4 ' ;,4 , , r :IM.‘:-;7;i:', additional 5 foot lightening rod. Please refer
4',Y t2. Z2k „. 1;: +'w ,i; li Sp 9> ',� *' '` °l j% ht to the petitioner's information packet for
W t7 ° ° ' Y= of t ;='�., more details.
K i�y i.�"J Lr �„ .- `,*,A la CPx , s . �, ,
-F tlF E.y%'. tt? ,a 1.3 ;P i elf'} P1°^TAO. y. .g a,,t,--k,
P tlk
i.'2,, k pp^t 1{'1.--.}. `"„,. ':.T "�� !;_ i'''-'-''1 .P" i$ " '',7'',. ' , M1x ,,i Locating a communications tower in a Business
-y � L District requires the grant of a Special Use
h 1 f ! ■•—mow e i '''''if 'l sEit_n.+i f 1, $ l S, P f d
t 1 tryy «_-° ;.v e T *mitt, ; ,, ..,: x ,. Special Uses are generally looked upon
f °, ' ftY°t �1 i',.,.`:,::,..
��r 1 {�+ wry 3E•FL iii '4 "' �,,. � L ��Tt h �.
i �{ i _ favorably as long as they do not have a negative
effect on surrounding properties or the
a!
. ; ,, �. 1 s a ; /7,,;1':.'''
�1 = r '- : , t 'y f^7 tS +-_ community or are obviously inapp ropriate for
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the site. The intent of permitting towers and
encouraging co-location is to provide the broadest range of coverage possible, while keeping the necessary infrastructure
as visually unobtrusive as possible.
The proposed cellular tower will aid in providing more cellular and data capacity in the surrounding area. As this area
continues to develop and population grows, a greater capacity and improved infrastructure is needed. The tower is
proposed at 100 feet tall, which is under the permitted height for a business district of 150 feet. The immediate area
around the tower and equipment shelter will be surrounded by a 6 foot fence and a 15 foot landscape buffer. The tower
will be located over 400 feet from the nearest road of Hancock Street and over 800 and 1200 feet from City Center Dr.
and Pennsylvania St.,respectively. This setback will help reduce visibility of the tower and hopefully help it blend in to
the surrounding area better.
The tower is proposed to be a monopole tower and the department has requested that the antennas on the tower be flush-
mounted to the tower so that they will have the smallest profile possible and be more aesthetically pleasing. The
department would also be in favor of internally-mounted antennas. A white monopole and antennas should also be
considered which might be more aesthetically pleasing. The intent is to provide a tower that not only provides greater
service to the area,but does not detract from the area. One other question the Department has is if this tower will deter
new projects from developing the remainder of the site?
Petitioner's Findings of Fact
1. The premise in question is particularly physically suitable for the proposed Special Use because: it is located in
a B-3 Zone approximately 420 feet east of Pennsylvania parkway adjacent to commercial buildings.
2. The Special Use will not injuriously or adversely affect economic factors, such as cost/benefit to the community
and its anticipated effect on surrounding property values because: cellular voice and data service is a public
safety and commercial necessity for business and individuals.
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3. The Special Use will be consistent with social/neighborhood factors, such as compatibility with existing uses
and those permitted under current zoning in the vicinity of the premises under consideration and how the
proposed Special Use will affect neighborhood integrity because: the ground structure will be fenced and
screened. The monopole will be a steel gray color to blend with natural sky hue.
4. The Special Use will not injuriously or adversely affect the adequacy and availability of water, sewage and
storm drainage facilities and police and fire protection because: the structure will not utilize any public service
except electricity and fiber optic cable.
5. The Special Use will not adversely affect vehicular and pedestrian traffic in and around the premises upon
which the Special Use is proposed because: there is no pedestrian or vehicular traffic except an occasional service
technician.
Recommendation: After all comments and concerns have been addressed The Dept.of Community Services
recommends positive consideration of Docket No. 14010002 SU with the commitment that the antennas will be flush-
mounted to the tower or internally-mounted and that colocation will be permitted and accommodated on the
tower.
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