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HomeMy WebLinkAboutA3 i RECEIVED Ray Anderson DEC 19 2014 Planner OEPT.IOFPLAN PLANNING &IHO USING WA City of Ames IA Department of Planning and Housing Room 214,City Hall Ames, IA 50010 (515) 239-5400 Re:Selective Site Development, Inc.—Variance application request for a wireless communication facility at 300 S 17tn Street,Ames,Story County, Iowa—responses to your letter dated November 12tn, 2014. Dear Mr.Anderson: This letter is responsive to your letter to Selective Site Development dated November 12tn, 2014, a copy of which is attached hereto, seeking additional information regarding the above application. Each comment from your letter is set out in italics below in the order it appears in the letter,with responsive comments immediately following. Supplementary material has been provided where necessary.These comments are broken into the Planning& Housing Department, Public Works Department, Electric Department, Building Inspections Division and the Water& Pollution Control Department. Planning& Housing Department On the Landscaping Plan, please show all existing trees, and label which ones will be retained and which ones will be removed. • The existing trees are found on the sheet A-1 of the site plan and labeled when applicable.All of the existing trees will be retained. If the site is fully automated, adequate parking is required for maintenance workers [see Section 29.1307 (7)(i)].This would require a minimum of one (1) parking space for parking of the maintenance vehicle.The parking space,and driveway leading t othe parking space must be paved with asphalt or concrete.The request in the letter, dated October 31, 2014,to waive the requirement for parking, will require approval of a variance by the Zoning Board of Adjustment.This would be a special application from the Special Use Permit, and has a separate an application fee of$150,to be submitted with the variance application. • The$150 application fee made out to the City of Ames is included in the variance application. The property survey labels the south boundary of"Parcel B" as a railroad right-of-way line.This is not a railroad r.o.w., but is the north boundary for the US Highway 30 on-ramp. • This is indicated on sheet 1 of the property survey and sheet A-1 of the site plan. The proposed chain link fence does not meet the standard for a cellular site. An opaque fence constructed of wood, or masonry material, or other substantial material is required around the perimeter of the cell site to enclose the tower and equipment shelter [see Section 29.1307(7)(f)].The minimum building setback for a HOC zoned property is S feet alongside lot lines and 10 feet along rear lot lines. Fences installed within those minimum building setbacks must maintain a fence height of 6 feet. If the fence is located outside of the minimum setbacks an 8 foot fence is permitted.Also, barbed wire is a fence material prohibited by the zoning code. • The fencing standards imposed by the City of Ames will be honored and shown on the future site plan. The minimum required distance (setback) between the base of the antenna support structure and any property line is sixty(60)feet for the proposed cellular tower [see Section 29.1307 (7) (c) of the Municipal Code].The width of Parcel B,the proposed site for the cellular tower at 310 S. 17th Street is only ninety(90)feet.A variance to the sixty foot requirement, or a subdivision plat to increase the dimensions of the parcel is required for construction of the cell tower at this location. • The setback requirements from the City of Ames is the reason for the variance application. Currently the side setback to the nearest property line does not meet the minimum setback requirement. Please provide evidence that the proposed tower height is the minimum height required to function satisfactorily. • Included with the application is an RF justification letter provided by Verizon Wireless. The 90 foot monopole is the minimum height required to provide the best capacity and coverage to the community as traffic is increasing throughout the network. Please provide a plan view drawing of the proposed cell tower and antennas,with dimensions showing the diameter of the tower and width of the tower, including antennas. • This can be found on sheet A-2 and A-3 of the site plan drawings included with the application. The proposed location of the new cell tower, near the highway 30 and Duff Avenue interchange serving the Duff Avenue commercial corridor and Downtown, is a very prominent and visible location.The Land Use Policy Plan (LUPP)of the City of Ames addresses "Community Entries"to Ames.The LUPP describes that each entry provides an opportunity to enhance the arrival into Ames and to direct traffic in accessing major areas and activity centers. A cell tower with antennas that are flush mounted, or mounted internally would be more appropriate near a primary entrance to the community. • SSD values the policies included in the Land Use Policy Plan of the City of Ames. The antennas will be flush mounted according to this policy. These changes are currently not reflected in the latest site plan. Please remove "Note 1." on Sheet A-3 (Tower Elevation). • Note 1 on Sheet A-3 must be included in our drawings to showcase that the possibility for changes and alterations can be made. This note will be removed once the drawings are final. Please provide a copy of the "Access and Utility Easement" document for the easement shown on the property at 300 S. 17th Street, adjacent to the site proposed for the cell tower. • A copy of the original plat of the property and surrounding properties is included. This was pulled from the City of Ames City Clerk's Office. This plat indicates the existing utility easement on the property. This is reflected on the survey provided by Carrell&Associates. In addition, a copy of the original survey of the site is included. This was pulled from the Story County Recorder's Office. Public Works Department An avigation easement will be required for this site. Please contact Damion Pregitzer,Traffic Engineer at S1S-239-5160,for more information. • SSD will work with the City of Ames Public Works Department on negotiating an avigation easement at the desired location. Electric Department Electrical service to the site shall come from existing padmount transformer located adjacent to S. 171h Street. A separate primary feed and padmount transformer will not be permitted for this site. • SSD will accommodate the electric requests made by the City of Ames. Please locate the electric meters outside the fenced area. • Power and telco has been located at the site. Pictures are included with the application. In addition, the electric meters will be located at the site. Building Inspections Division Building and electrical permits will be required. • SSD will comply with all building and electric permits required at the proposed site from the City of Ames. Water& Pollution Control Department No comments Other The sign permitting process is separate from the building permit application. Signs drawn on the site plan will NOT be reviewed as part of the development review process or as part of the building permit application. A separate application will need to be submitted for each sign.These applications are reviewed by Sara Van Meeteren in the Inspections Division. Sara can be reached by phone at 515-239- 5154, byu email svanmeeteren@cityofames.org or in person at the Inspection Division's Office at 515 Clark Ave. Sign permit applications and Chapter 21 (Sign Code) of the Ames Municipal code can be found at http://www.cityofames.org/inspections under'Signs' on the left hand side of the page. • SSD will submit and comply with all the proper applications for each sign at the proposed site location.