Proposed Telecommunications Tower Report
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Presented To: Planning Committee Request for Decision Presented: Monday, May 26, 2014 Report Date Tuesday, May 13, 2014 Proposed Telecommunications Tower, PIN 73504-2043, Parcel 24564 S.E.S., Part of Lot 5, Type: Routine Management Concession 3, Hanmer Township, (4980 Municipal Reports Road 80), City of Greater Sudbury, Rogers Communications Inc Recommendation Signed By THAT the City of Sudbury advise Industry Canada that they concur with the issuance of a licence for the development of a 80 metre high self support telecommunications tower at PIN 73504 Report Prepared By 2043, Parcel 24564 S.E.S., Part of Lot 5, Concession 3, Hanmer Eric Taylor Manager of Development Approvals Township, City of Greater Sudbury by Rogers Communications Digitally Signed May 13, 14 Inc. Recommended by the Division Mark Simeoni Acting Director of Planning Services Background Digitally Signed May 13, 14 Applications for telecommunications facilities are under the Recommended by the Department Paul Baskcomb jurisdiction of Industry Canada. Industry Canada requires that the Acting General Manager of Growth & proponent of a new telecommunication facility must consult with Development the municipality and indicate whether the municipality concurs Digitally Signed May 13, 14 with the application. It is noted that telecommunications facilities Recommended by the C.A.O. are not subject to municipal zoning regulations and municipal Doug Nadorozny concurrence is not necessarily required in order for Industry Chief Administrative Officer Digitally Signed May 13, 14 Canada to issue a licence. Rogers Communications is proposing the construction of a 80 m (262 ft.) high telecommunications self-support tower on a 30 ha (74.8 acre), property located on the north side of Municipal Road 80 in the community of Val Therese. The tower is to be setback approximately 300 m (980 ft.) from MR 80. To the north and west are lands zoned and designated Rural, with residential and institutional uses located further to the west. To the east are residential dwellings located along Philippe Street and on the north side of MR 80. To the south of MR 80 are residential dwellings and the Hanmer Valley Shopping Centre. The proposed tower is located within the wellhead protection area associated with the Philippe municipal well. A portion of the property is located within the floodplain, however the tower is proposed to be located outside of the floodplain. The closest residential dwelling is located to the southeast at 4615 Philippe Street being approximately 275 m (902 ft.) from the base of the proposed tower. Rogers Communications has advised that they currently have two telecommunications towers in the northern part of the City (one tower north of Valleyview Drive in the Valley East Industrial Park and a second tower to the southwest of Onwatin Lake Road). Rogers has advised that as wireless technologies have improved in recent years to deliver faster data to devices, additional sites are required to handle the increase in demand. The two existing Rogers towers noted above, provide wireless service to Val Caron, Val Therese, Capreol and the surrounding rural areas. Large areas have poor indoor coverage, specifically large portions of Val Therese and Capreol do not receive a strong signal coverage resulting in dropped/failed calls and slow delivery of wireless data. In order to address coverage and capacity issues, Rogers is proposing the subject tower along with two others in Capreol and east of Hanmer. Co-location Opportunities As required by Industry Canada and the City’s Telecommunications Policy, Rogers has advised that they have considered opportunities to co-locate their equipment on other towers in the area. Rogers considered an existing 40 m high Bell tower located on the north side of Dominion Drive west of MR 80, located approximately 1.4 km outside of Rogers search area. At the search ring Rogers indicated that they required a 70 m high tower to achieve coverage objectives and co-locating on Bells tower below 40 m would not achieve coverage objectives. Rogers has advised that they will consider all applications for future co-location to reduce the number of towers in the area. Tower Proposal Below is a summary of the details of the proposed tower. Tower type – 80 m high self-support with pinwheel mount antennas; Radio receiving unit mounted on the pinwheel; Equipment cabinet located at the base within an enclosed 225 m2 compound with 1.8 m high chain link security fence topped with barbed wire; The area around the base of the tower is vegetated and will screen the compound and base of the tower; Access to the tower will be from an existing entrance to MR 80; The structure will meet Transport Canada’s aeronautical obstruction marking requirements in Canadian Aviation Regulations, Standard 621. Rogers has also advised that the tower will comply with Health Canada’s Safety Code 6 limits and that the antenna system will be constructed in compliance with the National Building Code. Prior to installation NAV Canada and Transport Canada must review and approve assessment applications for the tower. Department and Agency Comments Traffic and Transportation Section No concerns as access will be provided by an existing entrance onto MR 80. Nickel District Conservation Authority No concerns or objections Water/Wastewater The proposed telecommunications tower to be located on the subject property is completely within the The proposed telecommunications tower to be located on the subject property is completely within the Philippe Drinking Water Wellhead Protection Area (WHPA) C (5-25 year time of travel) with a vulnerability score of 8. As indicated in the information package provided, the proposed telecommunications tower does not appear to pose a threat to the environment. Although the proposed project is located in a drinking water vulnerable area, the telecommunications tower does not constitute a significant threat activity as defined in the Clean Water Act, 2006. Consequently we do not object to the telecommunications tower; however the proposal must remain within the constraints listed in the application as to not become a threat to drinking water sources. Additionally, if any fuel or chemicals etc. are to be stored on site during or after construction, this may pose a risk. Examples of activities, according to the MOE Tables of Drinking water Threats, which may be of significant risk in this area include: Application of certain pesticides over an area larger than 1 ha; The storage of any dense non-aqueous phase liquids in any quantity and the storage of some organic solvents over 25 L; The handling and storage of fuel in quantities over 250 L; Snow banking/piling below grade in an area greater than 0.01 ha or above grade in an area greater than 1ha. We would anticipate that is may be necessary to have materials storage, fuel storage or portable toilets on site during construction of the tower. We would simply request that consideration for the nearby WHPA be taken into account and that the construction crews are aware of the need to be cautious (i.e. spills prevention) while working in these areas. Once the source protection plan has been approved for the Greater Sudbury Source Protection Area, staff will be inspecting vulnerable areas and threat activities routinely for compliance. Public Consultation In accordance with the Council adopted Telecommunication Facilities policy, this tower is classified as "significant" as it is greater than 16.6 m in height and is located within 300 m (984 ft.) of a residential dwelling, residential zone or Living Area Designation in the Official Plan. In accordance with the City’s policy, for "significant" structures the proponent was required to hold a neighbourhood meeting and provide notice in the following manner: newspaper notice a notice mailed to all property owners within an expanded notice area that included property owners beyond 3 times the tower height (240 metre radius included only 4 properties), to include the properties fronting onto Philippe Street and other properties on the north side of MR 80 for a total of 21 properties notice to the ward Councillor notice to the Director of Planning Services notice to Industry Canada The City provided Rogers Communications with the addresses for the property owners, located within the expanded notice area. Rogers has advised that in accordance with the City Telecommunications policy, on February 7, 2014 they mailed an information package to the property owners. In addition, Rogers placed a notice in the Sudbury Star on February 7, 2014, providing the public the opportunity to make written submissions via mail or email. A public information session was held on February 27, 2014 at 6 PM at the St. James in the Valley United Church, 4510 Tate Blvd. The information session was attended by 2 people representing the property owner at 4888 Highway 69 North, which is the abutting property to the west as well as a representative of the Church and the Ward 6 Councillor. During the consultation process the only written submissions received by Rogers and the City were from representatives for the owner of the property at 4888 Highway 69 North. Concerns noted by the property owner were the impact the tower will have on the future residential development of their property. In this regard Planning staff note that the lands on which the tower is proposed as well as the property at 4888 Highway 69 North are designated “Rural” in the Official Plan and do not form part of the “Living Area” designation. The property owner at 4888 Highway 69 North, has made a request to the City as part of the current official plan review to be included within the Living Area designation. While the official plan review has not yet been completed, the Planning Committee received a background report on June 24, 2013 which concluded that the City has an approximate 43 year supply of designated residential lands and expansion of the urban areas will not be required as part of the current review.