City of San Juan Capistrano Agenda Report

Transcription

1 ITEM E2 City of San Juan Capistrano Agenda Report TO: FROM: DATE: SUBJECT: Design Review Committee Development Services Department () Reviewed & Submitted by: David Contreras, Senior Planner CIJ' W 1/t- Prepared by: Lindsay Ortega, Contract Planner td Continued Consideration of Conditional Use Permit ; Verizon Aspero, review of conceptual development plans for the proposed wireless unmanned telecommunications facility located at Del Obispo Street (Assessor Parcel Numbers )(Applicant: Verizon Wireless). RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends the Design Review Committee (DRC) provide the applicant with comments regarding the proposed freestanding faux water tower design, site plan, materials, and colors. APPLICANT/OWNER: Applicant: Verizon Wireless Maree Hoeger, Representative Sand Canyon Avenue Irvine, CA Property Owner: Community Presbyterian Church Del Obispo St San Juan Capistrano, CA Architect: lnfinigy Engineering Rancho Parkway South Lake Forest, CA EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The applicant proposes architectural/development plans to establish a wireless telecommunications facility within a proposed 65'-0" tall faux water tank; including a 400 square foot equipment enclosure with an 8-foot tall concrete masonry unit (CMU) wall. The proposed water tank is located at the rear side of the parking lot of the existing San Juan Capistrano Community Presbyterian Church. Landscaping is proposed along the

2 Page 2 of 5 perimeter of the equipment enclosure to provide additional screening. The applicant is seeking direction regarding the overall redesign (Enclosure 1) in order to continue to develop the required plans and technical documents. DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS: On March 10, 2016, the Design Review Committee (DRC) reviewed the project (Attachment 1) and provided comments to the applicant regarding design, scale, and landscaping. The DRC requested that the applicant return to the committee for further review. Below is a table of the DRC comments/recommendations and the applicant responses: DRC Recommendations Reduce the height of the tower; height is out of scale with the neighborhood. Add a roof pitch to the top of the tower, similar to the facility located at the Armstrong Nursery. Remove the painted "Swallows" from the tower. Increase the proposed number of trees in order to screen the tower from adjoining properties. Consider the use of Tristania, Liquidambar, or Bottle Tree. Screen trees should be triangulated and not in a hedge-row pattern. Add low water use plants along the base of the equipment enclosure. Applicant Response The facility was reduced from 67' feet to 65'. The applicant expressed that it is not able to significantly reduce the height of the proposed facility due to topography and the significant grade change from Del Obispo Street to its location at the rear of the property. The applicant revised plans to reflect recommendation (Enclosure 2). The applicant revised plans to reflect recommendation (Enclosure 2). The applicant revised plans to reflect two (2) mature trees to match existing on site (Enclosure 1 ). The applicant is proposing Rhaphiolepis Indica "Indian Hawthorn" along the base of the equipment enclosure. The wireless facility includes antennas mounted within a proposed 65'-0" tall faux water tower (reduced from the originally proposed 67'), an equipment enclosure at the base of the faux structure, and associated underground infrastructure. The proposed installation consists of 12 panel antennas hidden inside the water tower with the equipment located at the base of the tower inside an 8-foot tall CMU wall surrounded by landscaping. The applicant revised their plans to include a wood trellis cover over the proposed equipment enclosure to extend 1 '-1 0" above the proposed split face block wall, to match the proposed tower. The water tank is to be coated to simulate weathered wood and the applicant has removed the proposed swallow design (Enclosure 2).

3 Page 3 of 5 //~~~.~,/ / & C '. IU..U \. t. -C liiu ~n. n: " f I., 'C''... IC - W' I..of\. K Alt... t'l: 1'M "r T C - I ;.... ~. -, : # A~ lu I f.. -.C Ct. <liz fc.l T I ORIGINAL REVISED The supplementary district regulations established by MC Section , establishes the following design standard for Antenna installations: (i) Material used. All antennas and supporting structures or components shall be of non-reflective, glare-reducing materials. Colors and materials for antennas and their components shall be chosen to minimize visibility and to match or blend with the primary background. (ii) Screening: All telecommunications antennas and facilities, including cellular, pes, and other wireless communications antennas, shall be designed to blend with the surrounding environment and to be as unobtrusive as possible. Screening shall be provided in the form of fencing, landscaping, structures, or parapets integral to the building. Such screening and maintenance shall be provided to the satisfaction of the Planning Director. (iii) Multiple-use facilities. Antennas may be integrated into existing or newly developed facilities and structures that are functional for other purposes, such as ballfield lights, flag poles, and clock towers. All multiple-use facilities shall be designed to camouflage the antennas. The applicant has proposed the following design elements for the wireless facility: (i) Material used. The applicant is proposing a Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic material with a weathered wood finish. The lower legs of the faux water tank will

4 Page 4 of 5 be painted brown to match the water tank finish. Colors and materials proposed will not be reflective in nature. The neutral tones will blend with the surrounding area and background. (ii) Screening: The antennas and associated cabling will be screened within a faux water tank and will not be visible. The faux water tank will be visible from Del Obispo Street, as well was from the surrounding neighborhoods. The applicant is proposing additional landscaping around the base of the tower where the equipment enclosure will be located, as well as (2) mature trees located near the proposed tower. (iii) Multiple-use facilities. The applicant explored alternative designs to screen the proposed wireless facility to meet this design standard, including a rooftop design and an attached faux bell tower/steeple. The applicant found that a rooftop installation at this location would not be possible due to the structural integrity of the roof could not accommodate Verizon's installation. The church elected not to have an installation such as a Clock Tower, Bell Tower or Steeple adjacent to any of the buildings as those structures could potentially interfere with the church's use of the space that would be required for such an installation. The current proposed location for the site was chosen by the Church Board Members as a location that will not now, nor in the future, interfere with the activities or development of the Church. The proposed plans consist of the following items: Conceptual Site Plan Floor Plans Elevations Tower Section Conceptual Landscape Plan Photo simulations Staff has conveyed to the applicant that the overall project should complement the City's traditional, historic character through site design and architecture. While staff continues to work with the applicant to develop a complete application, the applicant is seeking the Committees comments in order to continue to ensure the design is compatible with the aesthetic of the surrounding area; and in conformance with the City's Architectural Design Guidelines, specifically Section Vl(h)(3) that states that "Wireless communication antennas should be integrated within the overall building and/ or landscape design. Fully enclosing arrays and antennas within structural elements (e.g. ancillary structures, monument signs) is encouraged". Additionally, the applicant has submitted a zone variance due to the project location not meeting the required 300' setback to a residential zone, pursuant to Section (b)(2)(8) Table 3-19, which outlines development standards for Telecommunication Antennas and Facilities. Currently, the facility is located 165' or less

5 Page 5 of 5 from a residential zone. The request for a variance will be reviewed by the Planning Commission. ENCLOSURE(S): Enclosure 1 -Architectural Plans (lnfinigy), April 21, 2016 Enclosure 2- Photo simulations (Artistic Engineering), April 21, 2016