05/09/2001 P&Z Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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• AGENDA ITEM: 5F STAFF ORIGINORATOR: Jason Lindahl /Alan Brixius P & Z MEETING DATE: May 9, 2001 TOPIC: Pinnacle Tower Zoning Amendment and Rezoning Pinnacle Towers, Inc. 870 Birch Street BACKGROUND The applicant, Pinnacle Towers, Inc., is requesting a zoning amendment, rezoning, and a conditional use permit to allow the construction of a 530 -foot tower on the property located at 870 Birch Street. The site is currently zoned R -1, Single Family Residential District and has a conditional use permit to allow an existing 500 -foot tower. Should the City approve these requests, the applicant must still request and receive approval of a detailed site plan and conditional use permit in conformance with all applicable performance standards prior to actual construction of the tower. The existing 500 -foot tower was granted a special use permit in 1973. The City amended that permit in 1993 to allow a new building on this site. In 1997, the City adopted a new • Zoning Ordinance. The following year, the City amended the Code with Ordinance 01 -98, which allowed towers up to 200 feet as a conditional use in the Rural and Industrial Zoning Districts. The end result of these changes is that the existing tower is allowed to continue in its present form as a legal non - conforming use. There are several reasons why this site is an appropriate use for both the existing and proposed tower. First, the site's size and location make it relatively isolated. Second, this relatively isolated location helps make a tower use on this site compatible with the surrounding uses. In general, tower uses have a low impact on surrounding uses because they don't have the operational issues associated with other commercial or industrial uses. Finally, according to the applicant's survey, approximately two - thirds of the site is covered with a wooded wetland. It is reasonable to assume that allowing this use to continue will protect and retain the wooded wetland area as open space. This review is based on the following plan submittals: Site Location Map Site Survey ANALYSIS Proposed Changes. The applicant's request will allow them to replace the existing 500 - foot tower with a new 530 -foot tower. The City could choose to deny the requested applications, which would allow the existing tower to remain as a legal non - conforming use.