ARLINGTON COUNTY, VIRGINIA County Board Agenda Item Meeting of July 18, 2015 DATE: July 3, 2015 SUBJECT: U-3409-15-1 USE PERMIT for installation of telecommunications equipment at Mercedes-Benz of Arlington; 585 N. Glebe Road (RPC# 14-061-073). Applicant: Verizon Wireless c/o MasTec Network Solutions 9020 Mendenhall Court, Suite H Columbia, MD 21045 By: Edward L. Donohue 117 Oronco Street Alexandria, VA 22314 C.M. RECOMMENDATION: Approve the subject use permit for installation of rooftop telecommunications equipment, subject to Conditions #1 through 3 provided in the staff report and with no further scheduled County Board review. ISSUES: This is a use permit request for Verizon Wireless to install rooftop telecommunications equipment at Mercedes-Benz of Arlington, a car dealership located at 585 North Glebe Road. No issues have been identified. SUMMARY: The applicant, Verizon Wireless, is proposing to install a telecommunications facility on an existing car dealership rooftop located at 585 North Glebe Road. The proposed equipment includes one (1) pole-mounted small cell antenna and one (1) equipment cabinet located on the northwestern portion of the Mercedes-Benz of Arlington building rooftop. The proposed facility is needed for capacity, in order to offload demand from telecommunications sites in the vicinity, and the location has been deemed by the applicant a network user traffic hot County Manager: ##### County Attorney: ***** Staff: Michael Cullen, DCPHD, Planning Division 16. PLA-7040
spot due to its proximity to a heavily trafficked area. A number of other sites in the vicinity were reviewed but did not meet the coverage objective or were unavailable due to future development concerns or leasing issues. Additional coverage is necessary to meet Verizon Wireless s responsibility under its federal licenses as well as to meet the company s minimum coverage objectives, and the proposed location represents the least visual impact to the site and surrounding area while meeting wireless service coverage objectives. The applicant has agreed to conditions that will ensure equipment will be designed to match the appearance of the existing building and that a community liaison is available. The proposed use permit is compliant with the County s Telecommunications Guidelines and with Federal Communications Commission (FCC) requirements, as well as with the ACZO. Verizon Wireless is licensed by the FCC and is required to operate in full compliance with FCC rules and regulations. Federal law prohibits localities from basing a decision on the environmental effects of radio frequency emissions if the facility complies with FCC regulations. Furthermore, the proposal is consistent with the Interim Guidelines for Telecommunications Facilities on County-Owned Property, which also applies to private properties and encourages the placement of antennas on existing structures. The use will not: (1) adversely affect the health or safety of persons residing or working in the surrounding neighborhood, (2) be detrimental to the public welfare or (3) be injurious to property or improvements in the neighborhood. Therefore, staff recommends that the County Board approve the subject use permit, subject to Conditions #1 through 3 provided in the staff report and with no further scheduled County Board review. BACKGROUND: The subject site is Mercedes-Benz of Arlington, a retail car dealership constructed by-right. There are no special exception uses approved on the property, and existing rooftop structures are for the building s mechanical equipment. The following provides additional information about the site and location: Site: The 40,020 square foot site is at the northeast corner of the intersection at Columbia Pike and Carlin Springs Road. The property is bounded by commercial uses to the north, west, and south, while Phoenix House Counseling Center and low-rise attached housing are to the east. The adjacent properties are zoned C-2 Service Commercial-Community Business District, C-O-2.5 Mixed Use District, and CM Limited Industrial District. Zoning: The site is zoned C-2 Service Commercial-Community Business District and CM Limited Industrial District. Land Use: The subject site is designated on the General Land Use Plan (GLUP) as Medium Office-Apartment-Hotel, and within the North Quincy Street Coordinated Mixed- Use District under Note #14. Neighborhood: The site is located in the Ashton Heights neighborhood, and adjacent to the Bluemont and Buckingham neighborhoods. Staff contacted all three civic associations, and Ashton Heights Civic Association requested additional information, but has not responded with comments as of the date of this report. The Bluemont Civic Association reported no issues with the application. The Buckingham Community Civic Association has not responded with any comments as of the date of this report. U-3409-15-1 Mercedes-Benz of Arlington - 2 - Verizon Wireless PLA-7040
Figure 1: Location Proposed Equipment Location Mercedes-Benz of Arlington DISCUSSION: In order to increase service in high usage areas within the County, Verizon Wireless is proposing to install one (1) pole-mounted small cell antenna and one (1) equipment cabinet located on the northwestern portion of the lower elevation rooftop of the Mercedes-Benz of Arlington building. An access ladder is proposed on the south side of the rooftop. The proposed facility is needed for capacity, in order to offload demand from telecommunications sites in the vicinity, and the location has been deemed by the applicant a network user traffic hot spot due to its proximity to a heavily trafficked area. The existing building rooftop height is approximately 25 above ground level (AGL). The proposed antenna will be mounted no taller than a radial center (RAD) height of 39 AGL, mounted on a 15 pole for a total height of 40 AGL and set back approximately 6 from the building edge. The single antenna panel is approximately 26.6 by 20.5 in size. Staff expressed some concern over potential visual impact by the proposed location of the rooftop pole toward the front of the building. The applicant has noted that in seeking an ideal location for the installation of a small cell antenna, the RF engineers look for a site that would provide an elevation of between 30 and 40 feet. Heights above this elevation affect coverage area, and a number of other sites in the vicinity were reviewed but either did not meet the coverage objective or were unavailable due to future development concerns or leasing issues. No photo-simulations of the proposed installation have been included with the use permit application, but the applicant has provided documentation clarifying why the site and rooftop location are necessary for a small cell antenna. A number of sites were reviewed that would meet the coverage requirement in the Ballston area, but most were removed from consideration due to future development plans, inability to lease, or engineering issues. The applicant also U-3409-15-1 Mercedes-Benz of Arlington - 3 - Verizon Wireless PLA-7040
provided a technical explanation, attached to this report, explaining how alternative rooftop antenna locations would impact the height and number of antennas needed to meet coverage requirements. After reviewing these alternatives, staff agrees that the proposed location represents the least visual impact to the site and surrounding area while meeting Verizon Wireless responsibility to provide wireless services under its federal licenses. The applicant has agreed to conditions where the proposed antenna and associated utility connection equipment shall match the exterior appearance and/or color of the existing building (Condition #1). This condition will be applicable to any future collocations that may be considered administratively by the Zoning Administrator. As designed and located, no harmful emissions or electrical interference will occur from this telecommunications facility. Staff also proposes that the information for the facility s community liaison be shared with the Ashton Heights, Bluemont, and Buckingham Community Civic Associations prior to issuance of a building permit for the added equipment (Condition #2), and that non-functioning or inactive antennas be removed within 90 days after cessation of use (Condition #3). Furthermore, the applicant shall provide photo documentation and a letter detailing the removal of nonfunctioning equipment to the Zoning Administrator. Figure 2: Layout Plan U-3409-15-1 Mercedes-Benz of Arlington - 4 - Verizon Wireless PLA-7040
Figure 3: Building Elevation Figure 4: Approximate Location of Pole-Mounted Antenna Image Source: Penney Design Group The facility will be unstaffed and require only infrequent visits by maintenance personnel. Verizon Wireless will operate this facility in full compliance with Federal, State and County ordinances and is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Federal law prohibits localities from basing a decision on the environmental effects of radio frequency emissions if the facility complies with FCC regulations. Furthermore, the Interim Guidelines for Placement of Telecommunications Facilities on County-Owned Property (Telecommunications Guidelines) was used to evaluate the application. The Telecommunication Guidelines offers direction in the way of design, visual impact, and compliance with FCC regulations, among other things. The Telecommunications Guidelines can be applied to telecommunications facilities on privately owned property as well as County-owned property. The Telecommunications Guidelines encourages the location of new antennas on existing structures, as opposed to constructing a new pole. The proposed antennas and equipment meet these criteria. Attached are plans depicting the location and general appearance of the proposed antennas and associated equipment. U-3409-15-1 Mercedes-Benz of Arlington - 5 - Verizon Wireless PLA-7040
CONCLUSION: The proposed use permit is compliant with the County s Telecommunications Guidelines and with FCC requirements, as well as with the ACZO. The proposed location represents the least visual impact to the site and surrounding area while meeting Verizon Wireless responsibility to provide wireless service coverage. The applicant has agreed to conditions that will ensure equipment will be designed to match the appearance of the existing building and that a community liaison is available. Therefore, staff recommends that the County Board approve the subject use permit, subject to use permit Conditions #1 through 3 provided below and with no further scheduled County Board review. Conditions #1 through #3: 1. The applicant agrees that the Verizon Wireless telecommunications facility on the existing building at 585 North Glebe Road will be installed as shown on plans dated September 30, 2014 and that the telecommunications facility, consisting of one (1) small cell antenna, one (1) equipment cabinet, and other related equipment, will be constructed as shown on the application package dated March 3, 2015 and approved by the County Board on June 13, 2015. The applicant agrees that the above-referenced antenna and equipment shall be designed and/or painted to match the existing building. The applicant agrees that any additional installation of antennas or related equipment on the site shall be subject to review, and approval, by the Zoning Administrator through the administrative change process. The Zoning Administrator will approve such administrative changes if she finds that the additional antennas or equipment are contained within the limits of height and space allowed in the Arlington County Zoning Ordinance (ACZO) for the existing building and match the colors and exterior materials of the existing building. 2. The applicant agrees to identify a community liaison who shall be available to address any concerns regarding the facility operation. The name, telephone number, and electronic mail address of the liaison shall be provided to the Ashton Heights, Bluemont, and Buckingham Community Civic Associations and the Zoning Administrator prior to issuance of a building permit for installation of equipment related to the telecommunications facility. 3. The applicant agrees that any non-functioning Verizon Wireless antennas on the roof of the building shall be removed at the time of installation of any proposed new Verizon Wireless antennas. The applicant further agrees that, in the future, any Verizon Wireless antennas on the site shall be removed within ninety (90) days after cessation of use. The applicant agrees to submit to the Zoning Administrator a letter (within the aforementioned ninety (90) day period) listing the number and type of antennas and other related equipment that shall be removed including photo documentation demonstrating removal of non-functioning equipment. U-3409-15-1 Mercedes-Benz of Arlington - 6 - Verizon Wireless PLA-7040
601 550 C-O-2.5 615 N RANDOLPH ST 501 505 4013 4019 CM 5TH RD N 4012 4011 530 4004 616 C-2 RC 585 C-O-2.5 600 N GLEBE RD C-O-2.5 N QUINCY ST RA6-15 C-O RA6-15 RA8-18 U-3409-15-1 585 N. Glebe Rd. RPC # 14-061-073 Scale: ICase Location(s) 1:1,200 Note: These maps are for property location assistance only. They may not represent the latest survey and other information. Department of Community Planning, Housing and Development County Use Only Date Placard Posted By Removed
Verizon Wireless 9000 Junction Drive Annapolis Junction, MD 20701 June 19, 2015 Mr. Michael Cullen, AICP Arlington County Department of Community Planning, Housing and Development 2100 Clarendon Boulevard, Suite 700 Arlington, VA 22201 Re: Ballston Common Cinema Analysis of additional rooftop locations Dear Mr. Cullen: This letter supplements Tracy Themak s email with regards to the additional rooftop locations that Verizon was asked to consider, to locate their antennas. The chosen antenna mounting height, depends on the area that we want to focus our signal (target coverage area), and also needs to take into account any clearance that we need for the RF signal, to ensure that the RF signal will not be obstructed by anything close to the antenna. Obstructions close to the antenna, can block the RF signal entirely, change the expected behavior of RF signal (the coverage pattern ) and also reflect the signal back to the antenna and become a source of interference which can greatly degrade the performance of the site. An antenna is used to shape and focus the RF signal. The RF signal fans out vertically and horizontally from the middle of the antenna (the radiation center). If you look at an antenna pattern, amongst other things, it will specify a vertical beamwidth (a measure of the extent that the signal will fan out vertically before it drops to half of its original output power), and a horizontal beamwidth (a measure of the extent that the signal will fan out horizontally before it drops to half of its original output power). At a minimum, we need to clear any obstacles within these vertical and horizontal beamwidths. In order to focus the RF signal to our target area and also ensure that it will not interfere with signal from other sites in the area, we need to tilt it down and point it in the direction of interest. Because of the physics involved in making an antenna; for a given frequency service band and for a given horizontal beamwidth, the shorter an antenna is the wider its vertical beamwidth. Bearing that in mind, the choice of a 4ft versus a 2ft antenna in this case, was basically so that we could have a narrower vertical beamwidth (7deg, versus 22deg) and so, not need to locate at a much higher rad center, in order to clear the obstacles on the roof.
The obstacles we had to clear on this roof, were the roof itself, and structures on the roof, mainly the pillar with the Mercedes Benz sign (if we were to locate, as suggested, behind it). The following are drawings showing geometrically, the rad centers we need to locate at, in order to clear the obstacles in the way of the RF signal. They are a comparison of Verizon s currently proposed location (A) versus the location that would require the highest rad center (C). Figure 1 is the elevation drawing with an overview of the 4 locations. Figure 2 shows the dimensions of the part of the building with a pitched roof Figure 3 shows VZW s original location (A), versus location C, illustrating the difference in the extent of the roof that the RF signal has to clear. Location C has to clear the entire length of the roof, and also clear the highest part of the pitched part of the roof (the height of the Apex of the roof, measured from the roof level is about 12ft). Figures 4,5 & 6 are to illustrate, the rad centers we need to locate at, to clear the obstacles on the roof, and the roof itself, with the longer and shorter antenna, at our original location, and location C, which would require the highest rad center of all the locations. Basically, the longer the set back of the antenna from the roof edge, or any obstruction for that matter, the higher the rad center of the antenna. Note that the drawings are not to scale, but length and heights have been included, so a geometrical calculation, can be done if need be, to verify the information presented. Figure 1: Elevation drawing with an overview of the 4 locations.
Figure 2: dimensions of the part of the building with a pitched roof Figure 3: VZW s original location (A), versus location C, illustrating the difference in the extent of the roof that the RF signal has to clear. Location C has to clear the entire lenth of the roof, and also clear the highest part of the pitched part of the roof (the height of the Apex of the roof, measured from the roof level is about 12ft).
Figure 4: Location A: how high we need to be in order to clear the roof at the downtilt that is needed. Figure 5: Location C with a 2ft antenna illustrating that we are obstructed by the roof, before we have even achieved the required downtilt.
Figure 6: Location C with a 4 foot antenna illustrating that we are able to comfortably clear the roof Sincerely, Mercy Luhanga Verizon Wireless RF Engineer
Michael Cullen From: Sent: To: Subject: Tracy Themak <tracythemak@donohuestearns.com> Thursday, May 21, 2015 11:50 AM Michael Cullen RE: U-3409 Mercedes Telecom Use Permit Application Michael, Verizon Wireless (VZW) site acquisition was able to give me the following additional information on the consideration of alternate locations for the small cell proposal at 585 North Glebe Road. 1. RHF Building at 4300 North Carlin Road This building is located directly adjacent to the Harris Teeter property and would have met the coverage objective but a new building is planned to be constructed in front and it would block most of Glebe Road. Currently, there are two (2) wireless carriers already installed, but with plans to develop the properties north of this location along Glebe Road that would further block coverage, VZW s radio frequency (RF) engineers ruled it out. 2. Harris Teeter Despite the landlord s interest, the lease agreement prevented them from leasing space to VZW. 3. Properties along Glebe Road from North Carlin Street to the Mazda dealership Because these properties have been sold and are in the development process, they were precluded from use. 4. Mercedes-Benz of Arlington Repair Shop the landlord here was interested, but wanted to utilize the dealership property across the street given the consideration of development of the repair shop parcel. 5. Building next to Ballston Common Mall - Much too high for a small cell installation to achieve necessary coverage. 6. Ballston Common Mall The location reviewed was owned by Buch Construction and they were not interested in leasing space. 7. Ballston Common Parking Garage This is County property and VZW was directed to pursue the privately-owned parcels that were possible. 8. Italian Restaurant This location did not offer the same level of coverage to both Glebe Road and the Harris Teeter parking lot. It should be noted that in seeking an ideal location for the installation of a small cell, site acquisition looks for a site that would provide an elevation of between thirty (30) and forty (40) feet. Heights above this affect coverage area. 1
I hope this additional information helps and please do not hesitate to contact me with any further questions. Thank you, Tracy Tracy Themak, Esq. 117 Oronoco Street Alexandria, Virginia 22314 703.778.1988 2