20070206_es

COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

PLANNING AND BUILDING DEPARTMENT

DATE:

January 22, 2007

BOARD MEETING DATE:

February 6, 2007

SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:

300-foot radius

VOTE REQUIRED:

Majority

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

Lisa Grote, Director of Community Development

SUBJECT:

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Consideration of a Use Permit Amendment to allow the extension of an existing 59' - 8" lattice communications tower and omnidirectional antennas to reach a maximum height of 71 feet, to accommodate an upgraded wireless communications facility consisting of three panel antennas, located at the Menlo Park Fire Protection District Station at 3322 Alameda de las Pulgas in the unincorporated West Menlo Park area of San Mateo County. (Appeal of the decision by the Planning Commission for denial.)

RECOMMENDATION

Deny the appeal and uphold the decision of the Planning Commission to deny the use permit amendment, County File No. PLN 2005-00154, by making the required findings.

VISION ALIGNMENT

Commitment: Redesign our urban environment to increase vitality, expand variety and reduce congestion. Responsive, effective and collaborative government.

Goals: (12) Land use decisions consider transportation and other infrastructure needs as well as impacts on the environment and on surrounding communities. (20) Government decisions are based on careful consideration of future impact, rather than temporary relief or immediate gain.

BACKGROUND

Proposal: The applicant is proposing to extend an existing 59' - 8" lattice communications tower and omnidirectional antenna to reach a maximum height of approximately 71 feet. The heightened tower would accommodate an upgraded wireless communications facility consisting of three panel antennas, with the centerline of the antennas mounted at a height of 51 feet. Two existing omnidirectional antennas would be remounted on the heightened tower. The antennas would be controlled using existing equipment which is screened behind an existing 6-foot wood fence.

Setting: The subject property is located at the intersection of Alameda de las Pulgas and Valparaiso Avenue in unincorporated West Menlo Park. The site is developed with a fire station utilized by the Menlo Park Fire Protection District. An existing communications tower is mounted on the roof of the fire station and is topped with an omnidirectional antenna, reaching an overall height of 59' - 8". Single-family residential uses are located in the surrounding area, and within incorporated Menlo Park and the Town of Atherton beyond.

Summary of Zoning Hearing Officer Hearing: The proposed project was considered at the Zoning Hearing Officer hearing on April 6, 2006. Several neighbors of the subject property questioned the necessity of the project, and raised concerns regarding the aesthetics of the extended tower and the proposed antennas.

The Zoning Hearing Officer approved the project with added conditions of approval to address the aesthetic concerns raised by the neighbors. These added conditions reduced the overall height of the project from approximately 81 feet to a maximum of 71 feet. The conditions also reduced the number of antennas from six to three, to be mounted at a maximum centerline height of 51 feet. The applicant concurred with these changes to the project as required by the Zoning Hearing Officer.

Summary of Planning Commission Hearings: The Zoning Hearing Officer approval of the project was appealed by several neighbors of the subject property. The appellant claimed that existing Cingular service is adequate in the area, and that the applicant failed to demonstrate a need for extension of capacity. The appellant also raised concerns regarding the potential health impacts from the radio frequency (RF) emissions from the antennas, and stated that a number of different configurations or alternatives sites should be evaluated to minimize the impacts of the project to the surrounding neighborhood.

At the hearing on July 26, 2006, the Planning Commission upheld the appeal and denied the project. The Commission formally adopted Findings of Denial and Substantial Evidence on August 9, 2006 (see Attachment A), stating that the proposed increase in tower height would result in a significant visual impact, and that the expanded signal coverage that would result from the upgrade of the facility is insufficient to justify these impacts.

Key Issues of the Appeal: The applicant has appealed the Planning Commission’s decision. The applicant contends that the project would not result in significant visual impacts, and has submitted an appraisal report to demonstrate that the project would not be detrimental to property values in the area. The applicant also states that the existing facility is at capacity, and the upgrade is necessary to continue providing reliable network capacity as usage increases.

FISCAL IMPACT

None.



COUNTY OF SAN MATEO Inter-Departmental Correspondence

PLANNING AND BUILDING DEPARTMENT

DATE:		January 22, 2007
BOARD MEETING DATE:		February 6, 2007
SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:		300-foot radius
VOTE REQUIRED:		Majority

TO:	Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:	Lisa Grote, Director of Community Development

SUBJECT:	EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Consideration of a Use Permit Amendment to allow the extension of an existing 59' - 8" lattice communications tower and omnidirectional antennas to reach a maximum height of 71 feet, to accommodate an upgraded wireless communications facility consisting of three panel antennas, located at the Menlo Park Fire Protection District Station at 3322 Alameda de las Pulgas in the unincorporated West Menlo Park area of San Mateo County. (Appeal of the decision by the Planning Commission for denial.)

RECOMMENDATION
Deny the appeal and uphold the decision of the Planning Commission to deny the use permit amendment, County File No. PLN 2005-00154, by making the required findings.

VISION ALIGNMENT
Commitment: Redesign our urban environment to increase vitality, expand variety and reduce congestion. Responsive, effective and collaborative government.

Goals: (12) Land use decisions consider transportation and other infrastructure needs as well as impacts on the environment and on surrounding communities. (20) Government decisions are based on careful consideration of future impact, rather than temporary relief or immediate gain.

BACKGROUND
Proposal: The applicant is proposing to extend an existing 59' - 8" lattice communications tower and omnidirectional antenna to reach a maximum height of approximately 71 feet. The heightened tower would accommodate an upgraded wireless communications facility consisting of three panel antennas, with the centerline of the antennas mounted at a height of 51 feet. Two existing omnidirectional antennas would be remounted on the heightened tower. The antennas would be controlled using existing equipment which is screened behind an existing 6-foot wood fence.

Setting: The subject property is located at the intersection of Alameda de las Pulgas and Valparaiso Avenue in unincorporated West Menlo Park. The site is developed with a fire station utilized by the Menlo Park Fire Protection District. An existing communications tower is mounted on the roof of the fire station and is topped with an omnidirectional antenna, reaching an overall height of 59' - 8". Single-family residential uses are located in the surrounding area, and within incorporated Menlo Park and the Town of Atherton beyond.

Summary of Zoning Hearing Officer Hearing: The proposed project was considered at the Zoning Hearing Officer hearing on April 6, 2006. Several neighbors of the subject property questioned the necessity of the project, and raised concerns regarding the aesthetics of the extended tower and the proposed antennas.

The Zoning Hearing Officer approved the project with added conditions of approval to address the aesthetic concerns raised by the neighbors. These added conditions reduced the overall height of the project from approximately 81 feet to a maximum of 71 feet. The conditions also reduced the number of antennas from six to three, to be mounted at a maximum centerline height of 51 feet. The applicant concurred with these changes to the project as required by the Zoning Hearing Officer.

Summary of Planning Commission Hearings: The Zoning Hearing Officer approval of the project was appealed by several neighbors of the subject property. The appellant claimed that existing Cingular service is adequate in the area, and that the applicant failed to demonstrate a need for extension of capacity. The appellant also raised concerns regarding the potential health impacts from the radio frequency (RF) emissions from the antennas, and stated that a number of different configurations or alternatives sites should be evaluated to minimize the impacts of the project to the surrounding neighborhood.

At the hearing on July 26, 2006, the Planning Commission upheld the appeal and denied the project. The Commission formally adopted Findings of Denial and Substantial Evidence on August 9, 2006 (see Attachment A), stating that the proposed increase in tower height would result in a significant visual impact, and that the expanded signal coverage that would result from the upgrade of the facility is insufficient to justify these impacts.

Key Issues of the Appeal: The applicant has appealed the Planning Commission’s decision. The applicant contends that the project would not result in significant visual impacts, and has submitted an appraisal report to demonstrate that the project would not be detrimental to property values in the area. The applicant also states that the existing facility is at capacity, and the upgrade is necessary to continue providing reliable network capacity as usage increases.

FISCAL IMPACT
None.