HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - Conditional Use Permit for a cell tower in the Floodway at 600 South Maple AvenueCITY OF AMES, IOWA
ZONING BOARD 01; ADJUSTME
IN T14E MATTER OF THE APPLICATION
'ATION
OF VERIZON WIRELESS FOR A
CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT IN A
FLOODWAY, § 9.7(3)(e)(2)(a), AMES
MUNICIPAL C(-)DE,TO OPERATE A
WIRELESS COMMUNICATION TOWER.
IN THE FLOODWAY ON THE
PROPERTY 1A.K." ATEI) AT
600 SOLFIJI MAPLA: AVENUE
FACTS
CASE NO. 15-06
0CJ' 2 q n15
GEOCODE NO. 09-10-275-000
DECISION & ORDER
Applicant Verizon Wireless, represented by Michael Howley with Insite Rt', Inc., is seeking to
construct a new monopole cell tower on the property located at 600 South Maple Avenue. The
site is located along the north edge oil' the Hoodway of'Squaw ( ' 'rcek and is zoned "SGA"
(Special-Goveriiiiient/Airport),ind Floodway Overlay District. The site is located mostly within
the I'loodway Fringe, which has lesser development standards but, because a portion is within
the I', loodway, the entire project 111LISt Meet those 1"100dway standards. Development within the
1-1oodway is allowed 1'(.)r a limited 111.1111ber of uses and only ifVloodway performance standards
are met. The new tower and associated equipment shelter will be located in a lease area along
the north boundary of the property with an access easement to the South Maple Avenue right-of-
way. The Verizon improvements will be within a 33 feet by 59 feet compound. The leased
premises are 33 feet by 84 feet, which includes an area lor the fUtUrL Inclusion of two additional
carriers. Within the Verizon area will be a 120 foot fall monopole (129 foot with the lightning
rod) and an elevated equipment platt'Orm. The pole has an eight -foot diameter Lit its base. The
equipment platform IS supported by multiple columns and is 1733 feet by 35.33 feet and will
rise I') feet above ground. The platform will contain the equipment cabinets and emergency
generator inside a shelter. The shelter provides security and screening for the eClUipment.
Access to the platform is by stairs on the north side of the platform. A security fence will be
located along the top of the platform. At the proposed tower site, the ground elevation is about
888 feet. The base flood elevation (BIT, the water surface level of flood event having a one
percent chance of occurring in any given year, or I 00-year flood event) is 894.6 feet. Therefore,
in a 100-year flood, it is anticipated that the ground will be inundated by 6.6 feet of flood water.
The City of Ames flood plain regulations require elevation or flood proofing to three feet above
111"E' for an elevation of 897.6 t'cet at this location. The bottom of the steel platf,61-i-yi upon which
the equipment shelter sits is at 900 feet. This is 5.4 feet above 11fT, or 12 feet above the natural.
grade. There was evidence that the tower and platform supports are designed to withstand
damage from floods and will not increase base flood elevations.
]AFT"POON
The Board finds that the application for a proposed wireless corril-nUnication tower rneets the
standards for a Conditional Use Permit in section 9.7(3)(e)()(a) of the Ames MUniCipal Code,
inClUding the standards for Wireless Comma ications Facilities in section 9.4(2) and the
Floodway Performance Standards in section 9.4(31).
ORDER
WHEREFORE, IT IS ORDERED that the applicant is GRANTFD, section 97.3)()(1c)(2)(a) of
the Ames Municipal Code, a Conditional Use Permit to construct a wireless COM111LIDiCatiOnS
tower in the Floodway on the property at 600 SOLIth Maple A
Any person desiring to appeal this decision to a court ofrecord may do so within '10 days ,-After
the filing ofthis decision.
zn
Done this 24th day ot'AUgUst, 2015.
t"rin Cain
Secretary to the Board
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