Agenda Item Name:
Title
ZOS-01-20: Vertex, LLC Personal Wireless Service Facility Special Use Permit
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Presenter:
Mehdi Benkhatar, 352-374-5249 ext. 2361
Description:
A request by Vertex, LLC, agents, for Bird & Minzenberg, owners, for a special use permit for a Tier 3 personal wireless service facility (PWSF). The site is in the Agricultural zoning district and has a future land use designation of Rural/Agriculture (1 dwelling unit/5 acres). The site is a 100 ft. by 100 ft. portion of parcel 18442-002-000 and has an accompanying easement road on parcel 18442-000-000. If approved, a monopole or concealed tower up to 199 ft. in height would be allowed.
Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the Board of County Commissioners approve ZOS-01-20 with the conditions and bases as found in the staff report.
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Prior Board Motions:
None.
Fiscal Consideration:
Fiscal Consideration
None.
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Background:
Personal Wireless Service Facilities (PWSF) are classified in the Unified Land Development Code (ULDC) as Tier 1, 2 or 3. Those PWSF that do not meet the criteria of Tier 1 or 2 are considered as Tier 3 and require a special use permit for approval. The applicant has submitted for a Tier 3 (special use permit) PWSF that proposes a 199 ft. monopole tower. The ULDC recognizes the monopole design as having less of an adverse visual impact. Alachua County has retained an independent RF consultant to assist in the technical review of the data provided by the applicant to confirm that the proposed tower is at the minimum height necessary to provide noticeable improvement of service in the intended service area. The applicant has provided photosimulations of what the proposed tower would look like from 6 points near the site. At the Planning Commission held on 1/15/20, neighboring residents voiced their concerns about the tower with issues such as visual, health and property value impacts being discussed, as well as whether or not the tower was necessary at all (i.e. existing service was adequate). The Planning Commission voted (5-0) to recommend to the BoCC to approve ZOS-01-20 with Staff’s recommended conditions and bases, with one edit to Condition #1, related to language about future minor modifications to the tower that the County would be preempted from denying based on the FCC’s determination of federal law on cell towers.