ACTION REQUESTED:
Title
Communication from the City Manager and Director of Community Development with a Request to Concur with the Recommendation from the Planning and Zoning Commission and Staff to ADOPT an ORDINANCE Approving a SPECIAL USE in a Class R4 (Single-Family Residential) District, for a New WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATIONS TOWER AND FACILITY, for the Property Known as 2116 N. SHERIDAN ROAD, Located at 2114, 2126, & 2200 N. SHERIDAN ROAD (Parcel Identification Nos. 14-33-351-001, 14-33-351-002, 14-33-351-028, & 14-33-303-036), Peoria, IL (Council District 2).
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BACKGROUND: The petitioner, Vertical Bridge Development LLC (VB BTS LLC) is requesting special use approval to construct a new wireless communication tower and ground equipment facility on property owned by the Peoria City/County Health Department. The petitioner has a lease agreement to use the property. The tower would be owned by VB BTS LLC, who would lease facility space to up to three cellphone carriers.
The proposed 95 foot tall monopole tower and ground equipment facility would be placed within a 1440 square foot lease area at the rear of the property. The tower would be galvanized grey. The facility would be surrounded by a new solid fence and the existing garage. The request asks for three waivers from development items.
Per the Unified Development Code, wireless communication facilities shall locate according to the following priorities with 1) being the highest priority:
1) Existing towers or other structures
2) Industrial or institutionally zoned or publicly owned
3) Commercial, office, central business or parking zoning
4) Agricultural zoning
5) Residential zoning
This request is priority #2 as it is a new tower on publicly owned land.
The Planning & Zoning Commission found that the request in case number PZ 403-2021 met the Findings of Fact and voted 7-0 to approve with the following conditions and waivers:
1. Condition that vehicle access to the wireless telecommunication facility shall enter and exit the property from Sheridan Road only.
2. Condition that the color of the privacy fence, for the equipment facility enclosure, as shown on the site plan, is a close match to the color of the garage walls.
3. Waiver to eliminate the landscaping requirement for the perimeter of the facility, according to the site plan.
4. Waiver to allow vinyl fence material for the equipment facility enclosure.
5. Waiver to reduce the total number of commercial applications (carrier spaces) to three.
See the attached staff memo to the Planning & Zoning Commission and meeting minutes for detailed information.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: NA
NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERNS (at the Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting): None
IMPACT IF APPROVED: A new wireless telecommunication facility could be constructed as proposed.
IMPACT IF DENIED: A wireless communication facility would not be developed on the site.
ALTERNATIVES: NA
EEO CERTIFICATION NUMBER: NA
WHICH OF THE GOALS IDENTIFIED IN THE COUNCIL’S 2017 - 2032 STRATEGIC PLAN DOES THIS RECOMMENDATION ADVANCE?
1. Grow Peoria
WHICH CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTOR(S) FROM THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DOES THIS RECOMMENDATION IMPLEMENT?
1. Grow employers and jobs.
DEPARTMENT: Community Development