HomeMy WebLinkAboutZBA 2000-02-17 Minutes
MINUTES OF THE PRE-SESSION MEETING OF THE ZONING BOARD OF
ADJUSTMENT OF THE CITY OF NORTH RICHlAND HillS, TEXAS
FEBRAURY 17, 2000 - 6:30 PM
1.
CAll TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order by Dr. Tom Duer at 6:30 p.m.
2.
ROll CAll
Present
Chairman
Dr. Tom Duer
Bill SChopper
Paul Young
Leslie Jauregui
Kyle Bacon
Absent
Jim McCain
City Staff
Planning Director
Recording Secretary
Recording Secretary
Marcy Ratcliff
Valerie Taylor
Connie Cook
Staff presented a brief summary of the following case:
BA 2000-01 Request of Bill Bowman, AT&T Wireless Service, to allow a 276
square-foot equipment shelter.
The Board, after a few brief questions, closed the Pre-Session Meeting and
retired to the City Council Chambers to begin the Regular Meeting.
ZSA Minutes
February 17, 2000
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MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE ZONING BOARD OF
ADJUSTMENT OF THE CITY OF NORTH RICHLAND HILLS, TEXAS
FEBRAURY 17,2000 -7:00 PM
1.
CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order by Dr. Tom Duer at 7:00 p.m.
2.
ROLL CALL
Present
Chairman
Dr. Tom Duer
Bill Schopper
Paul Young
Leslie Jauregui
Kyle Bacon
Absent
Jim McCain
City Staff
Planning Director
Recording Secretary
Recording Secretary
Marcy Ratcliff
Valerie Taylor
Connie Cook
3.
CONSIDERATION OF MINUTES OF JANUARY 20, 2000
APPROVED
Bill Schopper, seconded by Leslie Jauregui, moved to approve the minutes of the
January 20, 2000 Meeting. The motion carried unanimously.
Chairman Duer explained that this Board consists of five voting members and it
Requires four affirmative votes in order for a variance to pass.
Staff noted the original agenda was posted with the wrong square footage of the
equipment building being requested. The applicant is requesting a 276 square-
foot equipment shelter; the original agenda showed a request of 160 square-foot
equipment shelter. Chairman Duer called for a motion to consider amending the
agenda to reflect the change in square-footage.
Bill Schopper, seconded by Kyle Bacon. The motion carried unanimously.
ZSA Minutes
February 17, 2000
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3.
BA 2000-01
PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER THE REQUEST OF BILL BAUMAN,
REPRESENTING AT&T WIRELESS SERVICES, TO VARY FROM SECTION
730.C, ORDINANCE 1874, ZONING REGULATIONS, TO ALLOW A 276
SQUARE-FOOT EQUIOPMENT BUILDING EXCEEDING THE 100 SQUARE-
FOOT MAXIMUM PERMITTED. THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED AT TRACT
9B, ABSTRACT 1606, AND ADDRESSED AS 7510 GRAPEVINE HWY.
APPROVED
The applicant is requesting a variance to allow the construction of a 276 square
foot equipment building for a wireless antenna to be collocated on an existing
TXU tower. The zoning ordinance allows only a 100 square-foot maximum for
equipment buildings. The tower is in the TXU easement running between the
North Hills Mall and commercial properties on Willman Avenue.
Staff recommended the Zoning Board of Adjustment Approve BA 2000-01 as
submitted to vary from Section 730.C, Ordinance 1874, Zoning Regulations, to
allow a 276 square-foot equipment building exceeding the 100 square-foot
maximum by 176 square feet.
1. Section 730.C - Communication Towers - General Reauirements - No
equipment cabinet or building shall be greater than eight feet in height and
one hundred square feet in gross floor area.
Staff found a special condition does exist in that the Zoning Ordinance does not
consider the operational needs of all wireless communication providers.
Research found in the Planning Department shows that when drafting the
Ordinance, only one service provider was consulted for the size needs of
equipment buildings. The spirit of the Ordinance places a priority on encouraging
collocation rather than the construction of new towers. Since this is a collocation
on an existing tower, staff feels a compromise is reasonable to allow the larger
equipment building.
Dr. Duer opened the public hearing.
Bill Bowman, representing AT&T Wireless Services, 5501 LBJ Fwy #200, Dallas
Texas, stated that the equipment building is 8' tall, recessed in the ground 3-4
feet. Overall height to be 4 to 5 feet. Shelter to be adjacent to existing tower. As
of January 2000, AT&T Corporate office handed down a directive that shelter
sizes need to be increased to accommodate the necessary equipment. Four
different services would be operated out of this equipment building, and all
unmanned. The services include cellular analog, cellular digital, fixed wireless-
local service, and CDPD (used in police cars). Certain cell cites have to be larger
ZSA Minutes
February 17, 2000
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than others to handle the larger equipment. This will be one of the cell sites that
the larger building would be necessary.
Seeing no additional proponents, Chairman Duer called for any opponents.
Mr. Wayne Herndon, Cool Air, 4174 Willman Ave. and 7504 Grapevine Hwy.
owner & operator for 15 years in North Richland Hills, his business is adjacent to
property in question. Although not opposed to AT&T proposal, is objecting to
the fact that it is being considered for approval. Not more that 1 year prior,
Nextel wanted to put a tower on his property approximately 60 feet from where
AT&T is wanting to place theirs. He was denied at P&Z and again at City
Council. He was not granted 100 square-foot variance in building size. Was told
that he could put the tower up within regulations but the equipment would have to
put within one of his existing structures. As a result, Nextel decided to move on,
because of that he lost 6-5 year consecutive leases totaling quarter of a million
dollars. As a property owner in North Richland Hills he felt that he was not given
due consideration at that time. Also, objecting to the height of tower.
Seeing no more opponents, Chairman Duer closed Public Hearing.
Kyle Bacon, seconded by Paul Young, moved to approve BA 2000-01. With
the special condition being that the Zoning Ordinance does not consider
the operational needs of all wireless communication providers. Research
found in the Planning Department shows that when drafting the Ordinance,
only one service provider was consulted for the size needs of equipment
buildings. The spirit of the Ordinance places a priority on encouraging
collocation rather than the construction of new towers. Since this is a
collocation on an existing tower, a compromise is reasonable to allow the
larger equipment building. The motion carries unanimously.
4.
CITIZENS COMMENTS
There were none.
5.
MISCELLANEOUS REPORTS & DISCUSSION
The ZBA would like to see the Planning & Zoning Commission re-evaulate
Zoning Ordinance 1874, Article 7, Communication Towers, specifically on the
maximum size of equipment shelters. They would like to see research on
various wireless services and what the industry standard is for this type of facility.
ZSA Minutes
February 17, 2000
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6.
ADJOURNMENT
Having no additional business to conduct, the meeting adjourned at 7:20 p.m.
Chai2~uY
ZSA Minutes
February 17, 2000
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