HomeMy WebLinkAboutMCUP 08-05; CINGULAR WIRELESS - NS0060-01 LA COSTA RESORT; Admin Decision Letter• r iLE COPY f,F
City of Carlsbad
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July 21, 2008
Cingular Wireless
6925 Lusk Boulevard
San Diego, CA 92121
SUBJECT: MINOR CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT NO. MCUP 08-05 -CINGULAR
WIRELESS
Request for approval of a Minor Conditional Use Permit to allow for the installation, operation,
and maintenance of an unmanned Wireless Communication Facility (WCF) consisting of ten
antennas and six outdoor equipment cabinets mounted behind Radio Frequency (RF) screen
walls and located on the rooftop on an existing two story commercial building. The project site
is generally located at 2100 Costa Del Mar Road within the La Costa Resort & Spa property, in
the Planned Community (PC) Zone and in Local Facilities Manageme·nt Zone 6.
Dear Krystal Patterson,
The Planning Director has completed a review of your application fqr a Minor Conditional Use
Permit MCUP 08-05 -CINGULAR WIRELESS for an unmanned Wireless Communication
Facility at 2100 Costa Del Mar Road. A notice was sent to property owners within a 300' radius
of the subject property requesting comments regarding the above request. Comments were not
received within the ten day notice period (ending on July 9, 2008) and a request for an
Administrative Hearing was not filed. After careful consideration of the facts set forth in the
application and a review of the application's consistency with City Council Policy No. 64, the
Planning Director has determined that the four findings required for granting a Minor
Conditional Use Permit can be made and therefore, APPROVES this request based on the
following findings and conditions.
Findings:
1. That the requested use is necessary or desirable for the development of the community,
is essentially in harmony with the various elements and objectives of the General Plan,
and is not detrimental to existing uses specifically permitted in the zone in which the
proposed use is located, in that: (a) the requested use is necessary and.desirable for
the development of the community because of the benefit and demand for digital
communications and data transmissions for businesses, individuals, public
agencies and emergency service systems in this part of the City; (b) the proposed
use is consistent with the General Plan in that the Travel/Recreational
Commercial (T-R) Land Use designation does not preclude the provision of
Wireless Communication Facility (WCF) uses, and (c) the WCF is not detrimental
to existing permitted commercial uses in the vicinity because the WCF is located
within a preferred location as listed in Location Guideline A.1.b. of City Council
Policy Statement No. 64 (commercial building), and all aspects of the WCF
exhibits stealth design and will be completely hidden by proposed improvements.
1635 Faraday Avenue• Carlsbad, CA 92008-7314 • (760) 602-4600 • FAX (760) 602-8559 • www.ci.carlsbad.ca.us @
\ "d ('~~u~ 08-05 -CINGuJt WIRELESS
July 21, 2008
Page2
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2. That the requested use is not detrimental to existing uses or to uses specifically
permitted in the zone in which the proposed use is to be located in that the existing
property is developed with and restricted to the development oJ resort
commercial uses through Master Plan 03-02. Furthermore, tt,e proposed WCF
does not result in any additional building coverage, only minor alterations to the
existing building design are required to accommodate the proposed roof mounted
equipment cabinets and antennas that will be mounted behind RF transparent
stuccoed screen walls, and the use does not interfere with and is not readily
visible to other surrounding uses.
3. That the site for the proposed conditional use is adequate in size and shape to
accommodate. the yards, setbacks, walls, fences, parking, loading facilities, buffer
areas, landscaping and other development features prescribed in this code and required
'by the Planning Director in order to integrate the use with other uses in the
neighborhood in that the antennas and equipment cabinets are located on the
rooftop of an existing building behind a proposed RF transparent screen wall,
textured and painted to match the existing building thereby exhibiting a stealth
design.· When completed, the WCF will not significantly change the appearance
of the La Costa Resort and Spa building and only minor modifications will be
necessary to install the WCF. The proposed WCF complies with the P-C Zone and
La Costa .Resort & Spa Master, Plan (MP 03-02) development standards.
4. That the street system serving the proposed use is adequate to properly handle all
traffic generated by the proposed use in that the unmanned WCF use requires, on
average, only monthly maintenance visits and occasional visits in response to
operational problems.
5. That the proposed WCF is consistent with City Council Policy No. 64 in that it is located
jn a ·preferred location ("commercially designated in MP 03-02") as listed in
Location Guildeline A.1.b. of City Council Policy Statement No. 64 and exhibits
stealth design, as the supporting equipment and antennas will be located behind
a RF transparent stuccoed screen wall textured and painted to match the existing
building. Furthermore, the project has been conditioned to demonstrated
compliance with FCC RF Exposure Guidelines.
6. That the Planning Director has determined that the project belongs to a class of projects
that the State Secretary for Resources has found do not have a significant impact on the
en'ifironment, and it is therefore categorically exempt from the requirement for the
preparation of environmental documents pursuant to Section 15303 -( construction
and installation of small new equipment facilities or structures), of the state CEQA
Guidelines. Additionally, as Cingular Wireless must comply with FCC regulations, radio
frequency emissions from the proposed facility are below levels established as
acceptable by the FCC, and are therefore not considered a health hazard. In making
this determination, the Assistant Planning Director has found that the exceptions listed
in Section 15300.2 of the state CEQA Guidelines do not apply to this project.
7. The Planning Director has reviewed each of the exactions imposed on the
Developer contained in this resolution, and hereby fi,nds, in this case that the exactions
are imposed to mitigate impacts caused by or reasonably related to· the project, and the
extent and the degree of the exaction is in rough proportionality to the impact caused
by the project.
~
MCUP 08-05 -CINGULA.IRELESS
July 21, 2008
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Conditions:
•
Note: Unless otherwise specified herein, all conditions shall be satisfied prior to issuance of a
building permit.
Planning:
1. Approval is granted for MCUP 08-05 -CINGULAR WIRELESS as shown on Exhibits
"A" -"G" dated July 21, 2008 on file in the Planning Department and incorporated
herein by reference. Development shall occur substantially as shown unless otherwise
noted in these conditions.
2. If any of the following conditions fail to occur, or if they are, by their terms, to be
implemented and maintained over time, if any of such conditions fail to be so
implemented and maintained according to their terms, the City shall have the right to
revoke or modify all approvals herein granted; deny or further condition issuance of all
future building permits; deny, revoke, or further condition all certificates of occupancy
issued under the authority of approvals herein granted; record a notice of violation on
the property title; institute and prosecute litigation to compel their compliance with said
conditions or seek damages for their violation. No vested rights are gained by Developer
or a successor in interest by the City's approval of this Minor Conditional Use Permit.
3. Staff is authorized and directed to make, or require the Developer to make, all
corrections and modifications to the MCUP 08-05 documents, as necessary to make
them inJernally consistent and in conformity with the final action on the project.
Development shall occur substantially as shown on the approved Exhibits. Any
proposed development different from this approval shall require an amendment to this
approval.
4. The Developer/Operator shall and does hereby agree to indemnify, protect, defend and
hold harmless the City of Carlsbad, its Council members, officers, employees, agents,
and representatives, from and against any and all liabilities, losses, damages, demands,
claims and costs, including court costs and attorney's fees incurred by the City arising,
directly or indirectly, from (a) City's approval and issuance of this Minor Conditional
Use Permit, (b) City's approval or issuance of any permit or action, whether
discretionary or non-discretionary, in connection with the use contemplated herein, and
(c) Developer/Operator's installation and operation of the facility permitted hereby,
including without limitation, any and all liabilities arising from the emission by the facility
of electromagnetic fields or other energy waves or emissions.
5. The Developer shall comply with all applicable provisions of federal, state, and local
ordinances in effect at the time of building permit issuance.
6. This project shall comply with all conditions and mitigation measures, which are required
as part of the Zone 6 Local Facilities Management Plan and any amendments made to
that Plan prior to the issuance of building permits.
7. -MCUP 08-05 sha.11 be reviewed by the Planning Director on a yearly basis to determine if
all conditions of this permit have been met and that the use does not have a substantial
negative effect on surrounding properties or the public health, safety and general
welfare. If the Assistant Planning Director determines that: 1) the minor conditional use
MCUP 08-05 -CINGU~ WIRELESS
July 21, 2008
-Page4
permit was obtained by fraud or misrepresentation; or 2) the use for which such
approval is granted is not being exercised; or 3) the conditions of approval have not
been met; or 4) the minor conditional use permit is being or recently has been exercised
contrary. to any of the terms or conditions of approval; or 5) the use for which such
approval was granted has ceased to exist or has been suspended for one year or more;
or 6) the use is in violation of any statute, ordinance, law or regulation; or 7) the use
permitted by the minor conditional use permit is being or has_ been so exercised as to be
detrimental to the public health, safety or welfare or so as to constitute a nuisance, ·the
Assistant Planning Director shall hold an informal public hearing and after providing the
permittee the opportunity to be heard, the planning director may revoke and terminate
the minor conditional use permit in whole or in part, reaffirm the minor conditional use
permit, modify the conditions or impose new conditions. •
8. This Conditional Use Permit is granted for a period of ten (10) years from July 21, 2008
to July 20, 2018. This permit. may be revoked at any time after a public hearing, if it is
found that the use has a substantial detr:imental effect on surrounding land uses and the
public's health and welfare, or the conditions imposed herein have not been met. This
permit may be extended for a reasonabl~ period of time not to exceed ten (1.0) years
upon written application of the permittee made no less than 90 days prior to the
expiration date. The Planning Commission may not grant such extension, unless it finds
that there are no substantial negative effects on surrounding land uses or the public's
health and welfare. If a substantial negative effect on surrounding land uses or the
public's health and welfare is found, _the ·extension shall be denied or granted with
conditions which will eliminate or substantially reduce such effects. There is no limit to
the num!:)er of extensions the Planning Commission may grant.
9. Developer/Operator shall comply with the Federal Communication Commission's
guidelines on limits for human exposure to radio frequency (RF) electromagnetic fields.
Within six (6) months from the· date of this letter, and with any time extension or
amendment request, the Developer/Operator shall submit to the Assistant Planning
Director either (1) verification that the project is categorically excluded from having to
determine compliance with the RF exposure guidelines per 47 CFR §1.1307(b )(1 );
or (2) a project implementation report which provides cumulative • field
meas1,Jrements of RF emissions of ~II antennas installed at the subject site. The report
shall quantify the RF emissions and compare the results with the exposure limits
established by the FCC guidelines. Said report shall be subject to review and
approval by the Assistant Planning Director for consistency with the Project's
preliminary report on RF exposure submitted with the initial project application and
for consistency with -the FCC guidelines. If, on review, the City finds that the Project
does not meet the FCC guidelines, the City may revoke or modify this conditional use
permit.
10. Developer shall submit to the City a Notice of Restriction executed by the owner of the
real property to be developed. Said notice is to be filed in the office of the County
Recorder, subject to the satisfaction of the Assistant Planning Director, notifying all •
interested parties and successors in interest that the City of Carlsbad has issued a(n)
Minor Conditional Use Permit on the property. Said Notice of Restriction shall note
the property description, location of the file containing complete project details and all
conditions of approval as well as any conditions or restrictions specified for inclusion in
the Notice of Restriction. The Assistant Planning Director has the authority to execute
MCUP 08-05 -CINGULA.IRELESS
July 21, 2008
Page 5
and reGord an amendment to the notice which modifies or terminates said notice upon
a showing of good cause by the Developer or successor in interest.
11. Developer shall report, in writing, to the Planning Director within 30 days, any address
change from that which is shown on the permit application.
12. This approval shall become null and void if building permits are not issued for this
project within 24 months from the date of project approval.
Engineering:
13. Developer shall comply with the City's Storm Water Regulations. Developer shall
implement best management practices at all times. Best management practices include
but not limited to pollution treatment practices or devices, general housekeeping
practices, pollution prevention and educational practices, maintenance procedures, and
other management practices or devices to prevent or reduce the discharge of pollutants
to stormwater, receiving water or stormwater conveyance system to the maximum
extent practicable.
Code Reminder:
14. Approval of this request shall not excuse compliance with all applicable sections of the
Zoning Ordinance and all other applicable City ordinances in effect at time of building
permit issuance, except as otherwise specifically provided herein.
NOTICE
Please take NOTICE that approval of your project includes the "imposition" of fees, dedications,
reservations, or other exactions hereafter collectively referred to for convenience as
"fees/exactions."
You have 90 days from the date of final approval to protest imposition of these fees/exactions.
If you protest them, you must follow the protest procedure set forth in Government Code
Section 66020(a), and file the protest and any other required information with the City Manager
for processing in accordance with Carlsbad Municipal Code Section 3.32.030. Failure to timely
follow that procedure will bar any subsequent legal action to attack, review, set aside, void, or
annul their imposition.
You are hereby FURTHER NOTIFIED that your right to protest the specified fees/exactions
DOES NOT APPLY to water and sewer connection fees and capacity charges, nor planning,
zoning, grading or other similar application processing or service fees in connection with this
project; NOR DOES IT APPLY to any fees/exactions of which you have previously been given a
NOTICE similar to this, or as to which the statute of limitations has previously otherwise
expired.
This decision may be appealed by you or any other member of the public to the Planning
Commission within ten days of the date of this letter. Appeals must be submitted in writing to
the Planning Department at 1635 Faraday Avenue in Carlsbad, along with a payment of
$598.50. The filing of such appeal within such time limit shall stay the effective date of the
order of the Planning Director until such time as a final decision on the appeal is reached. If
MCUP 08-05 -CINGULA. WIRELESS
July 21, 2008
Page 6 ·
you have any questions regarding this matter, please feel free to contact Greg Fisher at (760)
602-4629.
~~rb/L--z;; BARBERIO
Assistant Planning Director
GF:sm
c: KSL La Costa Resort Corporation, 50905 Avenida Bermudas, La Quinta, CA 92253
Chris DeCerbo, Principal Planner
David Rick, Project Engineer
Glen Van Peski, Senior Civil Engineer
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