HomeMy WebLinkAboutCase No. CUP 04-01 Nextel Communications and Cingular WirelessREQUEST:
SUBMITTED BY:
APPELLANT:
CASE NO:
CITY OF PALM DESERT
DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
STAFF REPORT
Consideration of a City Council request for review of the Planning
Commission's approval of CUP 04-01, a request by Nextel
Communications and Cingular Wireless to construct a 75-foot high
monopine wireless telecommunications tower with two adjacent
equipment shelter buildings within a 25'x 60' fenced area. The
project site is located 300' south of Country Club Drive and 1,300'
east of El Dorado Drive and is a part of a Southern California
Edison substation.
Francisco J. Urbina, Associate Planner
City Councilmember Buford Crites
CUP 04-01
CASE APPLICANTS:
Nextel Communications
c/o Tetra Tech, Inc.
Attn: Jim Lee
1590 Milliken Avenue, Unit H
Rancho Cucamonga, CA. 91761
REPRESENTATIVE FOR CINGULAR WIRELESS:
VelociTel, Inc.
Attn: Steve Stackhouse
18071 Fitch Avenue, Suite 200
Irvine, CA. 92614
DATE: May 27, 2004
ATTACHMENTS: A.
B.
C.
Cingular Wireless
Attn: Saundra Jacobs
3345 Michelson Drive,
Suite 100
Irvine, CA. 92612
Letter from Nextel Communications representative requesting
continuance of May 27, 2004 public hearing to June 24, 2004
Letter from Cingular Wireless representative requesting
continuance of May 27, 2004 public hearing to June 24, 2004
Letter from Indian Ridge Homeowners Association
Recommendation:
That the City Council continue the public hearing to June 24, 2004 to allow more
time for the applicants to evaluate alternative locations and types of wireless
facilities.
Staff Report
Nextel Communications & Cingular Wireless
CUP 04-01
May 27, 2004
I. UPDATE SINCE APRIL 8, 2004 CITY COUNCIL MEETING:
Continuance of Public Hearing Requested from May 27, 2004 to June 24, 2004:
The City Council continued the public hearing on this case from April 8, 2004 to
May 27, 2004 in order to provide the applicants time to find alternative locations for
their wireless facilities. The applicants have each recently submitted letters
(copies attached) requesting that the City Council continue the public hearing to
June 24, 2004 because they are still evaluating alternative wireless facility
locations within the Southern California Edison substation on Country Club Drive.
Alternative Wireless Facility Locations Being Considered: One alternative being
considered by Nextel Communications is co -locating its antennas on the existing
63-foot high monopine, if this will not create signal interference for existing wireless
carriers. If co -location is not feasible, Nextel would propose constructing a
monopalm wireless tower at the northwest corner of the Southern California
Edison substation. Cingular Wireless is evaluating the feasibility of constructing a
monopalm wireless tower near the southeast corner of the Southern California
Edison substation at the location the applicants were proposing a 75-foot high
monopine. Staff informed the applicants that any proposal for constructing
monopalm towers will require the planting of live palm trees to camouflage the
monopalms. The Nextel and Cingular representatives informed staff that Southern
California Edison will not allow the planting of live palm trees within its substation
because of safety concerns that high winds may blow palm fronds into electrical
equipment. The applicants have been advised by staff to contact Indian Ridge
Country Club for permission to plant live palm trees on Indian Ridge property
adjacent to the substation where monopalms may be proposed.
Submitted by:
rancisco J. Uri a
Associate Planner
App o
Homer Croy
Assistant Ci y Maier for Development Services
Departrr�ent Head:
iilip Drell
Director of Community Development
Carlos L. Ort
City Manager
2
MAY. 17, 2004 1:51PM PROPERTY. MANAGEMENT NO. 0638 P. 1/1
iETRA TECH
Tetra Tech Communications Services
310 Commerce, Irvine, CA 92602
Tel: 714-368-3500 Fax: 714-368-5445
f xrEL
Noxtel Communications Project
May 17, 2004
Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
C/O Phillip Drill -Director Community Development
73-510 Fred Waring Drive
Paltn Desert, CA 92260
RE: Continuance CUP 04-01, Wireless Facility at SCE substation on Country Club Drive
Honorable Mayor and City Council Members,
On behalf of Nextel Wireless in the aforementioned Case No. 04-01, being a request for a WTF project located as
described above. I wish to request a continuance of the public hearing on this matter as we are still evaluating and/or
resolving some the issues raised by the City Council at it's hearing of April 8th 2004.
We are currently looking into different options/designs that will please Council. Unfortunately, we will need to
additional time to research the feasibility of our design.
While this care was to be heard at the May 27'1' public hearing date, I would respectfully request that this proposal be
continued to no sooner than June 24, 2004 meeting as recommended by your staff.
Plcasc lei me know if you have any additional questions or concerns. Thank you for your time and consideration for
this matter it is very much appreciated.
Respectfully,
iin Lee
Zoning Manager
TetraTech Communications
310 Commerce Drive
Irvine, CA 92602
(714) 493-0547
Received May-17-200A 13:5d
From-71d 368 3550 To -PALM DESERT PUBLIC W Page 001
Ve /o ci
May 12, 2004
Ter
Honorable Mayor and City Council Member's
CIO Philip Drell, Director of Community Development
City of Palm Desert
73-510 Fred Waring Drive
Palm Desert, CA. 92260-2578
RE: CUP Case No's.: 04-01 and 04-04, Nextel Communications and Cingular
Wireless's proposed Unmanned Wireless Telecommunication Facility, WTF Site
No. SB-377/ SCE Concho Substation, generally located at 76-055 Country Club
Drive, Palm Desert, 92211, under the APN: 632-470-001.
Honorable Mayor and City Council;
On behalf of my client Cingular Wireless in the aforementioned Case No. 04-01
and 04-04, being a request for a WTF project located as described above, I wish to
request a continuance of the public hearing on this matter as we are still in the midst of
addressing and/ or resolving some of the issues raised by the City Council at it's hearing
of April 8th' 2004.
With the direction previously provided from the Council, we have been in contact with
SCE, the Indian Ridge Country Club and Palm Valley Country Club personnel as
requested.
However, the considerations and due diligence in having to re-evaluate and in potentially
redesigning our facility and proposal has taken longer then anticipated. In the final
analysis, it would be premature to attempt to consider this matter any further at this time.
While this case was to be heard at the May 27th public hearing date, I would respectfully
request that this proposal be continued to your June 24, 2004 meeting as recommended
by your staff.
Please let me know if there is anything else needed or required relative to this request, or
if you should have any questions regarding same.
18071 Fitch Av., Irvine, CA 92614 USA is 949.809.4999 F: 949.553.3919 www.velocitel.net
CUP Case No.: 04-01 and 04-04, Cingular Wireless's WTF proposal, etc. Page 2
Thank you for your attention and consideration of this Cingular Wireless WTF project as
we continue on with our proposal with the City of Palm Desert.
Respectfully submitted,
Steve Stackhouse, AICP
Project Manager
VelociTel, Inc.
Office: 949.809.4999, ext. 2713
Mobile: 949.689.0134
CC: Tarn Taylor, Regional Director of Real Estate and Development for Cingular
Wireless
MAY-17-04 MON 03:27 PM INDIAN RIDGE HOA
FAX NO. 7607727239 P. 01
-•�riwrJlr�.rl
IndiauMidge
I IOMIrOWNERS ASSOCIATION
'1indiun I iomrc,u'tters Assoeiaiion iS Anticncrd to pr6Ct r0111 glAr condominium community drou b cffectivr use of resources, proct'rtilu,
pier investment tlrrvugh prudent fiscal puliciaF mid enhanc n,g our services and amenities for maximum enioyrr.,, L (gall homeowners."
Memorandum - Now Sent Via Facsimile
To: City of Palm Desert
CC: Francisco Urbana, Planning Commission and City Council Members
From: Dana Brown, Association Ildlanager"�.
Date: 5/17/2004
Re: Nextel & Cingular Telecommunications Application
Francisco,
1 wanted to reiterate our conversation on Friday, May 14, 2004 concerning the proposed
application for the Nextel/Cingular Telecommunications tower. Per our conversation you
reported that you were going to recommend a continuance on the Nextel/Cingular
application to the City Council members at the May 27, 2004 meeting, Per our conversation
you suggested that the application will be tabled until the June 24, 2004 City Council
Meeting,
1 just wanted to inform the City Council Members that to date no one from Nextel or Cingular
Wireless Communications have contacted the Indian Ridge Homeowners Association
and/or the Indian Ridge Country Club. I personally gave the representative from Nextel and
Cingular Wireless the contact names and telephone numbers for the Indian Ridge Country
Club and for the Indian Ridge hHCA office,
Please keep me apprised of any further actions by the above parties to remit an application
for the telecommunications tower.
Thank you for your time and consideration to the above matter.
(760) 772-7234 • (760) FAX 772-7239
173 Ritinhinl eircic,. Palm 1,1c6ert, California 92211
Received May-17-2004 14:31 From-7007727239 To -PALM DESERT PUBLIC W Page 001