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HomeMy WebLinkAbout3.PROJ-26-0049 Project Support StatementTHE TOWERS OF CALIFORNIA, LLC PROJECT SUPPORT STATEMENT Site Name: Feather Falls Casino / US-CA-6298 Address: No Street Address, Ophir Road, Oroville, CA, about 400 west of Upper Palermo Road APN: 078-080-013 INTRODUCTION & FACILITY DESCRIPTION The demand for wireless and data services continues to grow across California. Access to the wireless network has become vital as individuals increasingly rely on handheld and mobile devices as their primary method of communication. The Towers of California, LLC is an infrastructure company working in partnership with Verizon Wireless to improve its wireless network through industry-leading techniques and innovative solutions to respond to high levels of wireless network traffic and increased user demand. This proposal for a new wireless telecommunications facility, to be built by the Towers of California, LLC to Verizon’s specifications, is an essential part of the effort to continuously improve the Verizon network for existing and potential customers. The facility is designed to comply with all Butte County rules and regulations. This is a proposal for a new freestanding wireless facility about 400’ west of the intersection of Ophir Road and Upper Palermo Road, to provide improved coverage and capacity to the area, including Mooretown Rancheria, Feather Falls Casino, and surrounding residential, commercial, and agricultural areas. The proposed facility is the least intrusive means for Verizon to close a significant gap in network coverage. It will be engineered to allow future additional carriers to further improve service in the area. Site Name: Feather Falls Casino / US-CA-6298 No Street Address, Ophir Road, Oroville, CA 95966, APN 078-080-013 2 DESIGN AND LOCATION The project is located on a 27.00 acre parcel zoned Resource Conservation (RC). The subject parcel is located at the northwestern corner of the intersection of Ophir Road and Lower Wyandotte Road, with Ophir Road bordering the parcel to the south and Wyandotte Road bordering the parcel to the east. The parcel borders another RC zoned parcel to the north and a Medium Density Residential (MDR) zoned parcel to the west, while across Ophir Road to the South are Rural Residential 5-acre (RR-5) zoned parcels, and across Lower Wyandotte is the Feather Falls Gas Station. The nearest residences are approximately 700’ to the southwest across Ophir Road and about 850’ east across Lower Wyandotte Road past the gas station. The compound is set back 297’ from Lower Wyandotte Road and 142’ from Ophir Road and has been placed to comply with riparian setbacks from a dry creek bed to the northwest. The tower has been sited to minimize the visual impact to nearby residences and the public right of way. Project Location The facility has been designed at the minimum functioning height necessary to provide service. Antennas and supporting equipment would be mounted on a 127’ tall monopine style stealth tower, with the top Site Name: Feather Falls Casino / US-CA-6298 No Street Address, Ophir Road, Oroville, CA 95966, APN 078-080-013 3 of the antennas at 118’ above ground level and the bottom of the antennas at 110’ above ground level. (The additional height above the antennas is necessary for a tapered faux crown, to give the facility the silhouette of a natural pine tree.) The pole would be engineered to allow for two additional wireless carriers to collocate. The faux tree pole would be placed within a 50’ by 50’ fenced compound with ample space for Verizon’s ground equipment and the equipment of future colocators. Verizon’s ground equipment would consist of a ground equipment cabinet (with space for a second cabinet if needed) and a 30 kW emergency backup generator with a 210-gallon diesel fuel tank. The compound would be secured by a 6’ tall chain link fence with vinyl privacy slats to screen equipment and topped with barbed wire. The proposed facility is well screened from residences in the area by mature trees, while the line of mature trees behind it provides a backdrop the faux tree can blend with when viewed from Lake Earl Drive and screen the site when viewed from other directions. It has been designed at the minimum functioning height needed to meet the coverage requirements for the area. In particular, twenty feet of vertical separation between the bottom of the antennas and the tops of surrounding trees is necessary for the property functioning of wireless antennas. To show the need for the height above the surrounding trees, please see below views from all four cardinal directions, taken from a GPS locked drone hovering at the proposed facility location 90’ above ground level. Drone Views from 20’ below the bottom of the antennas: Site Name: Feather Falls Casino / US-CA-6298 No Street Address, Ophir Road, Oroville, CA 95966, APN 078-080-013 4 Drone Views from 20’ below antennas, continued: Site Name: Feather Falls Casino / US-CA-6298 No Street Address, Ophir Road, Oroville, CA 95966, APN 078-080-013 5 Drone Views from 20’ below the Antennas, Continued: Photos and Photosimulations On the following pages are a set of six pairs of photos and photosimulations, each pair depicting an existing view and that view with a simulation of the proposed facility. The following page contains a map of the locations of the six views, with the orange line designating the viewpoint of the photographer. A GPS locked drone, hovering at the coordinates, was used to confirm the height and location of the facility. The drone can be seen in each of the existing views if you look closely, and it has been circled in white. The simulated image of the facility has been built and scaled according to the site plans for the project, with the drone location used to verify its accuracy. The six views are as follows: 1. View looking south from the shoulder of Lower Wyandotte road, approximately 1,000 feet from the project location. 2. View looking southwest from the Feather Falls Gas Station, across Lower Wyandotte Road and approximately 650 feet from the project location 3. View looking west from Lower Wyandotte Road approaching the intersection of Ophir Road and Palermo Road, approximately 850 feet from the project location. 4. View looking due north along Upper Palermo Road, approximately 1,600 feet from the project location. 5. View looking northeast along Wheeler Avenue, standing adjacent to the transmission tower, approximately 1300 feet from the project location. 6. View looking east-northeast along eastbound Ophir Road, approximately 900 feet from the project location. (No visible change due to trees.) Site Name: Feather Falls Casino / US-CA-6298 No Street Address, Ophir Road, Oroville, CA 95966, APN 078-080-013 7 Site Name: Feather Falls Casino / US-CA-6298 No Street Address, Ophir Road, Oroville, CA 95966, APN 078-080-013 8 Site Name: Feather Falls Casino / US-CA-6298 No Street Address, Ophir Road, Oroville, CA 95966, APN 078-080-013 9 Site Name: Feather Falls Casino / US-CA-6298 No Street Address, Ophir Road, Oroville, CA 95966, APN 078-080-013 10 Site Name: Feather Falls Casino / US-CA-6298 No Street Address, Ophir Road, Oroville, CA 95966, APN 078-080-013 11 Site Name: Feather Falls Casino / US-CA-6298 No Street Address, Ophir Road, Oroville, CA 95966, APN 078-080-013 12 Site Name: Feather Falls Casino / US-CA-6298 No Street Address, Ophir Road, Oroville, CA 95966, APN 078-080-013 DESCRIPTION OF COVERAGE AREA The purpose of the facility is to fill a significant gap in service in the surrounding area. The proposed facility, located about 0.6 miles east of Feather Falls Casino, would provide improved coverage and capacity to the Mooretown Rancheria, the residential areas along Upper Palermo Road and Lower Wyandotte Road, Feather Falls Casino itself, and surrounding agricultural and timber areas, including along Ophir Road. The facility will improve wireless coverage and capacity for residents and businesses in the area and also improve service on local roads. Existing and improved coverage is shown on the following page. In addition to improving coverage, the site will also provide capacity relief for existing sites in the area and benefit broader service as well. Insufficient network capacity results in reduced network throughput, which degrades network performance, leading to an increase in dropped calls, poor download speeds, and poor service. The site will offload capacity from two neighboring sites – Oroville to the northwest and Bangor to the southwest – and improve performance for those served by those sites as well due to the improved capacity. Aerial of Approximate Coverage and Capacity Area Site Name: Feather Falls Casino / US-CA-6298 No Street Address, Ophir Road, Oroville, CA 95966, APN 078-080-013 14 Existing Coverage (LTE 2100) Site Name: Feather Falls Casino / US-CA-6298 No Street Address, Ophir Road, Oroville, CA 95966, APN 078-080-013 15 Coverage With Proposed Facility (LTE 2100) Site Name: Feather Falls Casino / US-CA-6298 No Street Address, Ophir Road, Oroville, CA 95966, APN 078-080-013 16 ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS Selecting a location for a wireless telecommunications facility depends on many factors, including topography, zoning regulations, existing structures, co-location opportunities, available utilities, access, constructability, and the existence of a willing landlord. Each proposed site is unique and must be investigated and evaluated on its own terms. In this instance, the coverage area is a heavily wooded, large lot rural residential area that is distant from the existing, overloaded facilities that serve the area. In this instance, there are no existing wireless telecommunications facilities in the area. The nearest facility, 1.7 miles away to the northwest, where Verizon already has equipment installed. There are therefore no viable colocations on existing facilities that could fill the coverage gap. Additionally, the Mooretown Rancheria of Maidu Indians owns a fair amount of property in the area and was not interested in leasing property for a wireless facility, which further limited the options here. Alternative Locations Explored (Project Location In Green) Site Name: Feather Falls Casino / US-CA-6298 No Street Address, Ophir Road, Oroville, CA 95966, APN 078-080-013 17 List of Alternate Sites Considered (Numbers Correspond to Map on Previous Page) 1. APN 078-110-0037. Undeveloped RC zoned parcel, directly north of the subject parcel. Property owner was not responsive to leasing inquiries. 2. APN 078-080-026: RR-5 zoned parcel across the street to the south of the subject parcel. This property is closer to nearby residences and would not be a less intrusive alternative. The parcel is also owned by the same property owner as the subject parcel. The owner believes the subject parcel is a more suitable location and is not willing to lease space on this parcel. 3. 6023 Lower Wyandotte Rd, Feather Falls: A potential colocation on an existing PG&E transmission tower located at the intersection of Lower Wyandotte Road and Ophir Road, near the gas station. The property is owned by the Mooretown Rancheria of Maidu Indians, who stated they were not interested in any leases on Tribal property. In addition to a lack of interested property owner, two sectors would have been blocked by elevation and unable to meet the coverage objective. 4. 6655 Lower Wyandotte Rd, Oroville: A potential colocation on an existing PG&E tower just off of Lower Wyandotte Road, about a mile southeast of Feather Falls Casino. This location had several issues. It was also owned by the Tribe, which was not interested in leasing space for wireless, and would have required easements across several parcels. 5. APN 079-250-025: A potential PG&E colocation on an RR-5 zoned parcel. Reviewed by Verizon’s RF engineer and determined to be too low in elevation and too far from the coverage area to meet the coverage objective. 6. APN 079-250-023: A potential PG&E colocation on an RR-5 zoned parcel. Reviewed by Verizon’s RF engineer and determined to be too low in elevation and too far from the coverage area to meet the coverage objective. 7. APN 027-040-007: A potential new freestanding facility built within the compound of an existing PG&E substation. After entering into discussions, PG&E ultimately decided that they would no longer lease space for new freestanding facilities on PG&E property. 8. 33 Drescher Tract Rd, Oroville: A potential new, freestanding facility. The location was rejected by Verizon’s RF engineer on the grounds that multiple sectors of antennas would be blocked and unable to meet the coverage objective. The facility would have been in a rural residential area and within a few hundred feet of several houses. 9. 47 Iron Horse Ln, Oroville: A potential new, freestanding facility. The location was rejected by Verizon’s RF engineer on the grounds that multiple sectors of antennas would be blocked and unable to meet the coverage objective. Per RF analysis, a site would have required a centerline of 150’. The facility would have been in a rural residential area and within a few hundred feet of several houses. 10. APN 079-230-010: Another potential new, freestanding facility on Iron Horse Lane. As with the others, the location was rejected by Verizon’s RF engineer on the grounds that multiple sectors of antennas would be blocked and unable to meet the coverage objective. Per RF analysis, the facility would have required a centerline of 150’. The facility would have been in a rural residential area and within a few hundred feet of several houses. 11. 14 Iron Horse Ln: Another potential new, freestanding facility on Iron Horse Lane. As with the others, the location was rejected by Verizon’s RF engineer on the grounds that multiple sectors of antennas would be blocked and unable to meet the coverage objective. Per RF analysis, the facility would have required a centerline of 150’. The facility would have been in a rural residential area and within a few hundred feet of several houses. 12. 6057 Upper Palermo Rd, Oroville: A potential colocation on an existing PG&E tower. This location was reviewed by Verizon’s engineer, who determined that the location would be blocked and unable to meet the coverage objective. Site Name: Feather Falls Casino / US-CA-6298 No Street Address, Ophir Road, Oroville, CA 95966, APN 078-080-013 18 13. 6111 Upper Palermo Road: A potential colocation on an existing PG&E tower. This location was reviewed by Verizon’s engineer, who determined that the location would be blocked and unable to meet the coverage objective. 14. 219 Self Ln, Oroville: A potential colocation on an existing PG&E tower. This location was reviewed by Verizon’s engineer, who determined that the location would be blocked and unable to meet the coverage objective. 15. APN 027-040-007: A potential colocation located on a PG&E transmission tower just outside the substation compound considered as part of option 7. The location was reviewed by Verizon’s engineer – it was too short and would have been blocked from meeting the coverage objective. (Unlike a new freestanding facility, the potential height of a transmission tower is subject to tight practical constraints – antennas can be installed just above the conductors or below them. This is why a new tower nearby was viable from an RF engineering perspective but a colocation was not.) Conclusion There is a significant gap in coverage in the area and The Towers LLC have, along with Verizon Wireless, carefully reviewed the possibilities and selected the proposed location as the least intrusive means of filling that gap in coverage. Placing a facility in a developed area is a delicate balance – it needs to be close enough to cover the areas in need service while remaining as unobtrusive as possible. In this instance, there were no existing wireless telecommunications facilities in the area for a colocation, and none of the PG&E transmissions towers were viable options from a technical perspective. That meant a new, freestanding facility was necessary. Property owned by the Mooretown Rancheria of Maidu Indians, including Feather Falls Casino itself, was not available due to lack of a willing landlord. Most of the remaining property in the area consists of large lot single family residential properties, which are particularly difficult to serve. That said, The Towers LLC was able to find a location on a non-residential Resource Conservation zoned parcel at the edge of the residential development that is still able to serve the surrounding area and satisfy the coverage objective. Studies and exhibits have been provided showing the facility complies with all applicable noise and safety regulations. The facility will benefit the surrounding area by providing high quality wireless service in place of the existing poor service. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Safety Benefits of Improved Wireless Service Verizon Wireless offers its customers multiple services such as voice calls, text messaging, mobile email, picture/video messaging, mobile web, navigation, broadband access, V CAST, and E911 services. Mobile phone use has become an extremely important tool for first responders and serves as a back-up system in the event of a natural disaster. Verizon will install a standby generator at this facility to ensure quality communication for the surrounding community in the event of a natural disaster or catastrophic event. This generator will be fully contained within the equipment shelter and will provide power to the facility if local power systems are offline. Maintenance Verizon installs standby generators and backup batteries at all its cell sites. The generator and batteries play a vital role in Verizon’s emergency and disaster preparedness plan. In the event of a power outage, Site Name: Feather Falls Casino / US-CA-6298 No Street Address, Ophir Road, Oroville, CA 95966, APN 078-080-013 19 the back-up generator will automatically start and continue to run the site for up to 24 hours. The standby generator will operate for approximately 15 minutes every other week for maintenance purposes and will only be tested during the daytime. Back-up generators allow Verizon’s sites to continue providing valuable communications services in the event of a power outage, natural disaster or other emergency. Following construction, a small sign indicating the facility owner and a 24-hour emergency telephone number will be provided on site. Parking & Traffic The facility is unmanned and will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. A technician will occasionally visit the facility to service the equipment, approximately once a month. There will be no other visitors or guests associated with the facility. Construction Schedule The construction of the facility will follow all local rules and regulations. The crew size will range from two to ten individuals. The construction phase of the project will last approximately two months and will not exceed acceptable noise levels. Compliance with FCC Standards This project will not interfere with any TV, radio, telephone, satellite, or other signals. Any interference would be against federal law and a violation of Verizon’s FCC license. An RF report verifying compliance with FCC guidelines is included with this submittal. Environmental Assessment A study verifying compliance with FCC EME regulations has been included as part of this application. Airports The nearest airport is Oroville Municipal Airport, 5.4 miles to the northwest. The Oroville Hospital Helipad is 2.8 miles north. The facility will comply with all FAA regulations. Water Usage As the facility is unmanned and no landscaping is proposed, there will be no impact on water usage on the property. Notice of Actions Affecting Development Permit In accordance with California Government Code Section 65945(a), Verizon requests notice of any proposal to adopt or amend the: general plan, specific plan, zoning ordinance, ordinance(s) affecting building or grading permits that would in any manner affect this development permit. Any such notice may be sent to 2009 V Street, Sacramento, CA 95818.