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Home My WebLink About2002-01-08 - AGENDA REPORTS - TELECOMMUNICATIONS FACILITY (2)CITY OF SANTA CLARITA AGENDA REPORT City Manager Appr al Item to be presented by: Vince Bertoni PUBLIC HEARING DATE: January 8, 2002 SUBJECT: AN APPEAL OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION DECISION TO DENY MASTER CASE 01-046, AND CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT 01-002 TO ALLOW FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A 58'-0" TELECOMMUNICATIONS FACILITY WITH A PINE TREE DESIGN. DEPARTMENT: Planning and Building Services RECOMMENDED ACTION City Council conduct a public hearing and adopt a resolution upholding the Planning Commission decision to deny the request for a conditional use permit to construct a 58'-0" telecommunications facility. The project site is located at 25333 San Fernando Road in the Industrial (I) zone, and consists of Master Case 01-046, Conditional Use Permit 01-002. BACKGROUND On February 9, 2001, an application for a conditional use permit was filed with the Planning and Building Services Department. This application was a request to allow for the construction of a 58'-0" telecommunications facility with the pine tree design in the Industrial (I) zone at 25333 San Fernando Road, in the City of Santa Clarita. On October 2, 2001, the Planning Commission denied the applicant's request without prejudice, and on October 9, 2001 the applicant appealed the decision to the City Council. PROJECT DESCRIPTION The proposed project would co -locate two telecommunications facilities on a 58'-0" high mono -pine located in the southwest corner of the property located at 25333 San Fernando Road. The project site is currently developed with seven (7), two- story buildings used by the Keep It Self Storage (KISS) facility. The two (2) facilities would be located on the mono -pine at a height of 55'-0" (Nextel) and 45' - Continued To: .'��z- Agenda Item: /500 0" (Verizon Wireless). The shelters necessary to house the equipment and support the proposed facilities would be located at the base of the mono -pine and would be screened from public view with landscaping. The proposed facility is designed and engineered to accommodate a third telecommunications carrier, however, that carrier must receive approval from the City at a later date. ANALYSIS Conditional Use Permit The project site is zoned Industrial which permits for "existing industrial and manufacturing uses in the City outside of business parks. Clean industry and light to medium manufacturing is permitted, including research and development, and the provision of employee recreation opportunities is encouraged" (UDC 17.11.020.P). A conditional use permit is required for a telecommunications facility that exceeds the 35'-0" height limit for the City of Santa Clarita. The project site is surrounded by Open Space (OS) to the north, west and south with Residential Moderate (RM) to the west, across San Fernando Road. The proposed facility would be highly visible to the public right-of-way and would create a negative visual impact to the surrounding residences and public view shed. Aesthetics San Fernando Road and Wiley Canyon/Via Princessa are highly traveled major highways within the City of Santa Clarita. The proposed facility will be constructed at 58'-0" and with a pine tree design will be highly visible to vehicles traveling on either San Fernando Road or the Wiley Canyon/Via Princessa bridge. In addition, the facility will be visible to the residents to the east (across San Fernando Road) as well as residents to the west and pedestrians on the South Fork Trail (across the South Fork of the Santa Clara River). The applicant is proposing to mitigate visual impacts of the proposed facility by using the pine tree design. However, no pine trees exist on the project site, only deciduous variety trees including cottonwood and sycamore varieties; therefore, the proposed facility will not blend in with the existing trees on the project site and will create a negative visual impact. Staff worked with the applicant to find an alternative to utilizing a pine tree design for the proposed wireless facility. Alternatives included the construction of a 55' high mono -pole located along the western property line behind one of the existing storage buildings. Staff reviewed the alternative proposals, however, at the proposed height, the facilities will be highly visible to the public and the neighboring residences. The applicant worked with the City to redesign the project, but the applicant felt that the proposed mono -pine design is the best project for the location. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION Staff presented the application to the Planning Commission on October 2, 2001. At that hearing, staff recommended that the Planning Commission deny the applicant's request without prejudice. The Planning Commission voted 5-0 to support staff's recommendation to deny the applicant's request for the proposed telecommunications facility. The Planning Commission denied the project without prejudice to allow the applicant to revisit potential alternatives and resubmit the project. FISCAL IMPACT No fiscal impact is anticipated at this time ALTERNATIVE ACTION 1. Approve the applicant's request. 2. Other action as determined by the Council. ATTACHMENTS Resolution of Denial without prejudice Minutes from the October 2, 2001 Planning Commission Meeting Site Plan Appeal Letter October 2, 2001 Staff Report to the Planning Commission (reading file) Initial Study / Negative Declaration (reading file) JJL:VPB:PAL pbs \ council \ 01-046 \ report CITY OF SANTA CLARITA NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN: A Public Hearing will be held before the City Council of the City of Santa Clarita in the City Hall Council Chambers, 23920 Valencia Blvd., 1" Floor, Santa Clarita, California, on the 8th day of January, 2002, at or after 6:00 p.m. to consider the appeal of the Planning Commission decision to deny Master Case No. 01-046, Conditional Use Permit 01-002. The proposed project is a request for the co -location of two telecommunications facilities on a 65 -foot high monopole with a pine tree design. The project site is located in the Industrial (I) Zone at 25333 San Fernando Road, in the City of Santa Clarita, California. The project applicant is Nextel Communications, Inc. Proponents, opponents, and any interested persons may appear and be heard on this matter at that time. Further information may be obtained by contacting the Department of Planning and Building Services, Santa Clarita City Hall, 23920 Valencia Blvd., Third Floor, Santa Clarita, CA. 91355, (661) 255-4330 — Patrick Leclair, Assistant Planner I. If you wish to challenge this action in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing described in this notice, or in written correspondence delivered to the City Council, at, or prior to, the public hearing. Dated: December 10, 2001 Sharon L. Dawson, CMC City Clerk Publish Date: December 14, 2001 PHNextel NOTICE OF CONTINUED PUBLIC HEARING CITY OF SANTA CLARITA CITY COUNCIL NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City Council of the City of Santa Clarita, at its regular meeting held January 9, 2002, continued a public hearing on APPEAL OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION DECISION TO DENY MASTER CASE 01-046 AND CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT 01-002 TO ALLOW FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A TELECOMMUNICATIONS FACILITY— Appeal submitted by Nextel Communications of the Planning Commission decision to deny Master Case No. 01-046, Conditional Use Permit 01-002, to allow for the construction of a telecommunications facility with a pine tree design. The project located in the Industrial (I) Zone at 25333 San Fernando Road (Keep It Self -Storage). The applicant's proposal would include the co -location of 2 telecommunications carriers (Nextel and Verizon) on a 58'-0" high standard. A conditional use permit is required to exceed the 35'-0" high limit Industrial zone to February 26, 2002. The continued public hearing will be held at or after 6:00 p.m. in the Council Chamber at 23920 Valencia Blvd., Santa Clarita, California. Dated this 9' day of January, 2002. JL14, SHARON L. DAWSON, CITY CLERK STATE OF CALIFORNIA ) COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ) SS. AFFIDAVIT OF POSTING CITY OF SANTA CLARITA ) I, SHARON L. DAWSON, being first duly sworn, deposes and says that she is the duly appointed and qualified City Clerk of the City of Santa Clarita and that on January 9, 2002, she caused the above notice to be posted at the door of the Council Chamber located at 23920 Valencia Blvd., Santa Clarita, California. )a 4-a �, -- SHARON L. DAWSON, CITY CLERK Santa Clarita, California PublicHearings/CONTPH. doc