8
April 9, 2014 Public Hearing
APPLICANT & PROPERTY
OWNER:
HAMPTON
ROADS
SANITATION
DISTRICT
STAFF PLANNER: Ray Odom
REQUEST:
Conditional Use Permit (Wireless Communication Tower)
ADDRESS / DESCRIPTION: 645 Firefall Drive
GPINS:
24253083330000,
24241982640000
ELECTION DISTRICT:
PRINCESS ANNE
SITE SIZE:
370+/- acres
AICUZ:
Less than 65 dB DNL
BACKGROUND / DETAILS OF PROPOSAL
The subject site is the Hampton Roads Sanitation District (HRSD) Atlantic Treatment Plant. The site is
zoned AG-1 and AG-2 Agricultural Districts and PD-H2 Planned Unit Development District and totals
370+/- acres.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has
issued a Regional Consent Order to the localities and to the Hampton Roads Sanitation District in
Southeastern Virginia to reduce sanitary sewer overflows. Wet weather events are the primary cause for
sewer overflows. During these events water can infiltrate the sewer systems and over capacitate the
system, which causes the system to over flow.
It is the intent of the applicant to create a Smart Sewer System in order to meet the Regional Consent
Order. A component of this system will be a microwave-based Wide Area Network (WAN) wireless
communications system between their treatment plants and operational centers. This will require a
communications tower at each of their facilities. The towers will contain lightning protection, two
microwave antennas and a UHF omni-directional antenna that can receive and transmit signals from flow
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meters, pressure gages, rain gages, etc. to and between the treatment plants and operational centers.
This will allow real time analysis of a system during a wet weather event in order to determine if flows
should be redirected to another system or storage tanks to prevent a system from becoming over
capacitated, which will prevent over flows, as required. The applicant had initially indicated that 199-foot
towers would be placed at each facility. However, tower heights will vary based on Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) aeronautical studies. In this case, the FAA has determined that a maximum tower
height of 199-feet, above ground level, will not be a hazard to air navigation. In addition, Naval Air Station
Oceana and Naval Air Station Oceana Dam Neck Annex have indicated that the tower will not affect their
operations. Therefore, a 195-foot tower, with a four-foot lightning rod, for a total height of 199-feet is
proposed at this location.
This new system will also be a benefit to the City. During wet weather events, flows can be redirected
through HRSD’s system so the City’s system does not get over capacitated, which will assist the City in
meeting the Regional Consent Order.
Due to the proposed communication towers being located within the applicant’s facilities and the ground
equipment not being visible to the general public landscape screening is not being required.
The applicant has complied with the requirement for co-locating on the proposed towers. Basically,
wireless telecommunication providers will be allowed to co-locate on these facilities. The submitted
elevations indicate that five additional wireless carriers can be accommodated at each facility.
A basic Structural Report has been submitted, indicating that the tower will be designed to accommodate
the applicant’s equipment and five additional carriers and will meet all structural requirements, as per the
Uniform Statewide Building Code, and all wind loading requirements for this area. The formal Structural
Report and the required Radio Frequency Emissions Analysis Report will be provided with the formal site
plan submittal.
The proposed tower location is located within one-quarter mile of a residential or apartment zoning district
or use. Therefore, contacts with neighborhoods or residents are required. The applicant’s representative
has indicated that over 90 direct mail cards were sent to adjoining and nearby property owners to alert
them to the project and invite them to an open house at Ocean Lakes High School on January 21, 2014.
The representative has indicated that no one attended the open house.
LAND USE AND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
EXISTING LAND USE: Sanitary sewage treatment plant
SURROUNDING LAND
USE AND ZONING:
North:

South:
East:


West:

NATURAL RESOURCE AND
CULTURAL FEATURES:
Firefall Drive / undeveloped parcels / City park / PD-H2
Planned Unit Development District
Single-family homes / R-15 Residential District
Naval Air Station Ocean Dam Neck Annex / I-2 Heavy
Industrial District
Ocean Lakes High School / single-family homes / PD-H2
Planned Unit Development District
Portions of the site contain flood plain and marsh.
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN: The Comprehensive Plan identifies this site as being located within the
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Suburban Area. The general planning principles for the Suburban Area focus on preserving and
protecting the overall character, economic value, aesthetic quality of the stable neighborhoods, and
reinforcing the suburban characteristics of commercial centers and other non-residential areas that
comprise part of the Suburban Area. Achieving these goals requires that all land use activities either
maintain or enhance the existing neighborhood through compatibility with surroundings, quality and
attractiveness of site and buildings, improved mobility, environmental responsibility, livability, and
effective buffering with respect to type, size, intensity and relationship to the surrounding uses. In this
case, the tower is proposed to be located within an existing sewage treatment plant and is therefore
buffered from other uses. Therefore, the tower is compatibility with surrounding uses.
EVALUATION AND RECOMMENDATION
Hampton Roads Sanitation District (HRSD) is in the process of creating a Smart Sewer System in order to
meet the Regional Consent Order, concerning sanitary sewer overflows. A microwave-based wireless
Wide Area Network (WAN) between their treatment plants and operational centers is a component of this
system. This system will require a communications tower at each of their facilities. In addition to the
applicant’s equipment, each tower will also accommodate up to five wireless telecommunication
providers. In this case, the tower is to be located within Hampton Roads Sanitation District’s Atlantic
Treatment Plant. The site contains 370+/- acres. The tower will be located over 1,300-feet from the
nearest residential community and is buffered by the existing treatment plant. Therefore, the tower is
compatibility with surrounding uses
Staff recommends approval of this request with the conditions below.
CONDITIONS
1. The site shall be developed substantially in conformance with the submitted site plan entitled
“HRSD, Site Name: Atlantic Plant 685 Firefall Drive Virginia Beach, VA 23454,” prepared by
NB+C Engineering Services, LLC, dated January 14, 2014, which has been exhibited to the
Virginia Beach City Council and is on file with the Virginia Beach Department of Planning.
2. The tower shall be made available to wireless telecommunication providers for co-locations.
NOTE: Further conditions may be required during the administration of applicable City Ordinances and Standards. Any
site plan submitted with this application may require revision during detailed site plan review to meet all applicable City
Codes and Standards. All applicable permits required by the City Code, including those administered by the Department
of Planning / Development Services Center and Department of Planning / Permits and Inspections Division, and the
issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy, are required before any uses allowed by this Use Permit are valid.
The applicant is encouraged to contact and work with the Crime Prevention Office within the Police Department for crime
prevention techniques and Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) concepts and strategies as they
pertain to this site.
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AERIAL OF SITE LOCATION
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PROPOSED SITE PLAN
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ENLARGED SITE PLAN AND ELEVATION
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1
ZONING HISTORY
#
1
DATE
07/13/2004
REQUEST
Use Permit (communications tower)
ACTION
Approved
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DISCLOSURE STATEMENT
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DISCLOSURE STATEMENT
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DISCLOSURE STATEMENT
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DISCLOSURE STATEMENT
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