T-Mobile-CS060316CITY OF COPPELL
PLANNING DEPARTMENT
STAFF REPORT
CASE NO.: S-1233-LI T-Mobile
P & Z HEAR1NG DATE:
C.C. HEARING DATE:
March 16, 2006
April 11, 2006
STAFF REP.:
Gary L. Sieb, Planning Director
LOCATION:
On a City water tower located at 510 Southwestern Boulevard, Suite
100, for address purposes.
SIZE OF AREA:
Less than an acre of property
CURRENT ZONING:
LI (Light Industrial)
REQUEST:
Zoning change request from LI (Light Industrial) to S-1233-LI
(Special Use Permiti-1233-Light Industrial) to allow nine (9) flush-
mounted panel telecommunication antennae to be mounted on an
existing water tower and an equipment cabinet interior to the base.
APPLICANT:
T-Mobil USA
David Kirk
I i 830 Webb Chapel
Dallas, TX 75234
(214) 523-4148
Fax: (214) 523-4101
HISTORY:
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There has been no recent zoning history on the subject parcel,
although there have been several construction projects on nearby
properties. The water tower was built in 1986. Since that time a Fire
Administration/Building Inspection office has been constructed
(1992), a Fire Station has been built (1995) and most recently (1999)
Item # 5
an Animal Services and Adoption Center has been added adjacent to
the water tower site.
TRANSPORTATION:
Southwestern Boulevard is a C4U, four-lane undivided thoroughfare
contained within a 70-foot right-of-way. The road in front of the
subject property is built to standard, although to the east, them is an
asphalt two-lane mad.
SURROUNDING LAND USE & ZONING:
North-warehouse and vacant; LI (Light Industrial)
South -vacant; LI (Light Industrial)
East - municipal building; LI (Light Industrial)
West - fire station; LI (Light Industrial)
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN: The Comprehensive Plan of May 1996 shows the property as
suitable for public and institutional uses.
DISCUSSION:
Page 2 of 3
Over the last year or so, T-Mobile has been looking for a cell tower site in
this part of Coppell and had submitted zoning requests on at least two
other locations nearby. The first proposed site was along Freeport
Parkway, but easement restrictions eliminated its possibility. The second
site was at Wagon Wheel Park, adjacent to our soccer fields. Again,
easement restrictions, coupled with site and parking limitations, forced its
rejection.
T-Mobile now proposes a site on our existing water tower located behind
and northwest of the Fire Administration/Building Inspection office and
east of Fire Station Number One. Proposed are nine antennae, roughly
six-feet long by eight-inches wide and three-inches thick that would be
placed on the outside surface of the water tower at approximately 95 feet
above grade. From an appearance standpoint, T-Mobil proposes to locate
all cabinets and equipment inside the base of the water tower, thus creating
no visual outside clutter. Although there was some initial staff concern
regarding access to the tower equipment, T-Mobil has agreed to reimburse
the City for any expenses incurred if T-Mobile needs access after hours.
That provision is specified in Section 11 (E) of the License Agreement
(attached).
A second concem related to the amount of space to be allocated to the T-
Mobile cabinets and equipment. As seen in the exhibits included with the
Item # 5
zoning application, this equipment will take up an area of approximately
I O-feet by 20-feet, leaving over 90% of the interior space for other storage.
A final concern relates to the possibility of this water tower being painted
in the near future. T-Mobile has acknowledged that if the painting occurs
within the next three months or so, they will delay installation of the
antennae. Because we have not yet gone out for bids on repainting the
tower, it appears that T-Mobile will install their equipment before the
painting begins. When we have the tower painted, T-Mobile agrees to find
an alternate site for operation during the repaint, remove the antennae from
the face of the tower, replace the antennae after painting is completed -- all
at their expense. This will be a condition of approval of the zoning
request.
RECOMMENDATION TO THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION:
Staff is recommending APPROVAL of this request subject to the following
conditions:
1) Approval of the License for Communication Facilities between
the City and T-Mobile.
2) Agreement that installation, removal and reinstallation of the T-
Mobile equipment due to tower painting will be at T-Mobile's
expense.
3) Compliance with the attached departmental comments (Parks
and Engineering)
4) Change address on Sheet T-I to reflect 510 Southwestern.
5) A locational listing of all T-Mobile antennae locations in
Coppell.
ALTERNATIVES
1) Recommend approval of the request
2) Recommend disapproval of the request
3) Recommend modification of the request
4) Take under advisement for reconsideration at a later date.
Page 3 of 3
Item # 5
ATTACHMENTS:
1) Site Plan, Elevations, Details (Sheets T-1,C1-4)
2) Copy of Draft Lease Agreement.
3) Departmental comments (Parks and Engineering)
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Item # 5