PZ-7 Z2020030 BOS REPORT.PDF

Maricopa County — Formal (2020-07-22)

View PDF Item 12 Meeting page

Extracted text (via pymupdf) 14553 characters
July 22, 2020 
Z2020030 
Page 1 of 2 
Report to the Board of Supervisors 
Prepared by the Maricopa County Planning and Development Department 
 
 
 
Board Hearing Date: 
July 22, 2020 
 
Case #/Title:   
 
 
Z2020030 – ATC Gunpowder WCF   
 
Supervisor District: 
3 
 
Applicant/Owner:  
Scott Quinn/Verizon Wireless (VAW), LLC 
 
Request: 
Modification of Condition of Special Use Permit (SUP) for a 
wireless communication facility (WCF) in the Rural-43 zoning 
district, case # Z 99-09, to extend validity of the permit for an 
additional 20 years  
 
Site Location: 
Generally located 620’ east of the northeast corner of Pioneer 
Rd. and Gavilan Peak Pkwy. 
 
Site Size: 
40,000 Square Feet 
 
County Island Status: 
Yes (City of Phoenix) 
Additional 
Comments: 
On May 5, 1999, the Board of Supervisors approved Z99-09 a 
Special Use Permit (SUP) for a wireless communications facility 
(WCF) on the top of Pioneer Mountain in the Phoenix area.  
The existing WCF is a 65’ tall monopole provides wireless 
service for multiple carriers. Condition ‘f’ of Z99-09 limited the 
SUP for 20 years after Board of Supervisors approval. The 
applicant is requesting a modification of Condition ‘f’ of Z99-
09 to allow an additional 20 year for this SUP, enabling this 
WCF to continue operation without the interruption of vital 
wireless services for the immediate area.  
 
There are no outstanding concerns from reviewing agencies.  
The site is within the City of Phoenix Municipal Planning Area, 
but the City’s General Plan identifies the parcel as 
undesignated. The City of Phoenix was notified and as of the 
date of this report, staff have not received comments from 
the City of Phoenix concerning this request. All property 
owners within 300’ and interested parties of the site were 
notified; however, as of the date of this report no support or 
opposition has been received.  
 
Commission  
 
Recommendation: 
On 6/11/20, the Commission voted 6-0 to recommend 
approval of Z2020030 subject to conditions ‘a’ – ‘i’:

July 22, 2020 
Z2020030 
Page 2 of 2 
 
a. 
Development of the site shall comply with the site plan entitled “PHO 
Gunpowder”, consisting of one (1) sheet, dated (revised) February 26, 1999, and 
stamped received March 1, 1999, except as modified by the following conditions.  
 
b. 
Development of the site shall be in substantial conformance with the Narrative 
Report entitled “Modification of Special Use Permit Z99-09 Condition ‘f’“, consisting 
of six (6) pages, dated April 30, 2020, and stamped received May 5, 2020, except 
as modified by the following conditions.  
 
c. 
Approval of this Special Use Permit is subject to variance approval by the Board of 
Adjustment for substandard lot area.  
 
d. 
The height of the monopole, including any attachments shall be limited to 65’. 
 
e. 
The applicant shall submit a written report outlining the status of the development 
at the end of five (5) years from the date of approval by the Board of Supervisors. 
The status report shall be reviewed by staff to determine whether the special use 
is compatible with the surrounding area.  
 
f. 
This special use permit shall expire on July 22, 2040, or upon termination of the use 
for a period of 120 or more days, whichever occurs first.  All of the site 
improvements including monopole and equipment shall be removed within 120 
days of such termination or expiration.   
 
g. 
Major changes to this plan of development (the site plan and narrative report) 
/Special Use Permit shall be processed as a revised application in the same 
manner as the original application, with final determination made by the Board of 
Supervisors following recommendation by staff and the Planning and Zoning 
Commission.  Minor changes may be administratively approved by staff of the 
Planning and Development Department.  
 
h. 
Non-compliance with the Plan of Development (the site plan and narrative report) 
of the conditions of approval will be treated as a violation in accordance with 
provisions of the Maricopa County Zoning Ordinance.  
 
i. 
Where demonstrated possible, the applicant/property owner shall facilitate co-
location for other communication service providers. Co-location facilities may be 
approved administratively by staff of the Planning and Development Department.  
 
Presented by: 
 
Martin Martell, Planner 
Reviewed by: 
 
Darren Gérard, AICP, Planning Services Manager 
Attachment: 
 
6/11/20 P&Z Packet (14 pages)  
 
 
Note: 
6/11/20 Draft P&Z Minutes are not available as of the writing of this report, but can 
be provided upon request later when available.

Z2020030 
Page 1 of 7 
Report to the Planning and Zoning Commission 
Prepared by the Maricopa County Planning and Development Department 
 
 
 
Case: 
Z2020030 – ATC Gunpowder WCF  
 
 
 
 
Hearing Date: 
June 11, 2020 
 
Supervisor District: 
3 
 
 
 
  
 
Applicant: 
Scott Quinn, Quinn United/Hoss Consulting 
 
Owner: 
Verizon Wireless (VAW), LLC  
   
Request: 
Modification of Condition of Special Use Permit (SUP) for a wireless 
communication facility (WCF) in the Rural-43 zoning district, case # Z 
99-009, to extend validity of the permit for an additional 20 years  
 
  
 
Site Location: 
Generally located 620’ east of the northeast corner of Pioneer Rd. 
and Gavilan Peak Pkwy. 
 
  
Site Size: 
40,000 square feet 
 
Density: 
N/A 
 
County Island:  
Yes (City of Phoenix)  
 
 
County Plan: 
Daisy Mountain/New River Area Plan – Single Family – Rural (0-1 
du/ac) 
 
Municipal Plan: 
City of Phoenix – Undesignated 
 
Municipal Comments: 
None received to date  
 
Support/Opposition: 
None known 
 
Recommendation: 
Approve with conditions

Z2020030 
Page 2 of 7 
Project Summary: 
 
1. 
On May 5, 1999, the Board of Supervisors approved Z 99-009 a Special Use Permit (SUP) to 
develop a 40,000 square foot property into a wireless communications facility (WCF) on 
top of Pioneer Mountain in the Phoenix area.  The WCF provides wireless service for 
Verizon Wireless, AT&T, Sprint, and Cricket Wireless customers in an enclosed compound 
located in the Rural-43 zoning district.  The original SUP Z99-09 conditioned this particular 
WCF to operate for a period of 20 years after Board of Supervisor approval.  Therefore, 
this is a request to modify Condition ‘f’ of Z 99-009 to allow an additional 20 years to 
operate this WCF without interruption of wireless services for the immediate area.   
  
2. 
The property is 40,000 square feet in the Rural-43 zoning district with minimum lot size of 
43,560 square feet, but there is an approved variance (BA 99-013) to allow for this non-
conformity that was approved on April 14, 1999. Moreover, this variance request, 
addressed Condition ‘c’ of SUP Z 99-009, which required the applicant to submit a request 
for a variance as a condition of approval of Z 99-009.  Since the approval of SUP Z99-09, 
there have been seven minor modifications to SUP Z 99-009, which have added 
antennas, equipment, and microwave dishes to the WCF (Z 99-009a); Z2002156, Z2004106, 
Z007111, Z2011018, Z2011070, and Z2013068).  In addition, on October 25, 2011, there was 
a minor amendment of that modified Condition ‘d’ of SUP Z 99-009 that increased the 
height of the monopole from 56’ to 65’ to allow for co-location with an additional 
antenna array (Z2011070).   
 
3. 
Justification for this request is that this has been a vital WCF which has been in service for 
20 years.  During this time the facility has added multiple wireless providers to offer 
expanded wireless services to a multitude of customers.  In addition, the WCF has been 
equipped with E911as a public communication service that has proven to be beneficial 
to adjacent residents, users, and first responders.  By increasing this SUP for an additional 
20 years would enable this indispensable telecommunications facility to operate and 
provide wireless services to continue without operation of service for wireless customers 
and first responders.

Z2020030 
Page 3 of 7 
         Zoning Map 
 
 
                                                              2020 Aerial Photo

Z2020030 
Page 4 of 7 
                         Street View of the site from Pioneer Rd. Freeway Overpass 
                                                          
                                                             
                                                     Close-up of the WCF

Z2020030 
Page 5 of 7 
Existing On-Site and Adjacent Zoning / Land Use: 
 
4. 
On-site: 
 
Rural-43 / WCF 
North: 
Rural-43 / WCF and Natural Desert  
South: 
Rural-43 / Natural Desert 
East: 
Rural-43 / Natural Desert 
West: 
Rural-43 / Natural Desert 
 
Utilities and Services: 
 
5. 
Water: 
 
None 
Wastewater: 
None 
School District: 
Deer Valley Unified School District 
Fire: 
Daisy Mountain Fire District 
Police:  
Maricopa County Sherriff’s Office 
 
Right-of-Way: 
 
6. 
This is an isolated site not adjacent to any County or municipal dedicated or future right-
of-way.  Access to site is via a 20-foot wide access easement that links the property to 
Gavilan Peak Pkwy. to the west.   
 
Adopted Plan:    
 
7. 
Daisy Mountain/New River Area Plan (updated November 20, 2019): The land-use 
designation of the site is Single Family – Rural (0-1 du/ac).  This land use designation 
promotes low-density single family homes at or below one home per acre where the 
natural environment may determine a home’s location and access to avoid disruption 
of natural washes and steeper slopes.  The existing non-residential use of the property as 
a WCF on a site with slopes in excess of 15% conforms to the updated Daisy 
Mountain/New River Area Plan.   
 
Public Participation Summary: 
 
8. 
The applicant complied with the Maricopa County Citizen Review Process with the 
required posting of the property and notification by first class mail to adjacent property 
owners within 300 feet of the subject parcel, with notification to interested parties.  As of 
the date of this report, staff has not received any support or opposition to this request.  
 
Outstanding Concerns from Reviewing Agencies: 
 
9. 
There are no outstanding concerns from reviewing agencies. The City of Phoenix was 
notified about this request and as of the date of this report staff has not received any 
comments.   
 
Staff Analysis: 
 
Staff supports modifying the timeframe allowed for this SUP for ATC Gunpowder WCF.  The 
modification will allow the operation of this vital WCF with four different wireless providers 
without interruption of service.

Z2020030 
Page 6 of 7 
 
Existing language – Z 99-009 Condition ‘b’ 
 
Development and use of the site shall comply with the narrative report entitled 
“Gunpowder”. Consisting of three (3) pages, dated (revised) February 25, 1999, and 
stamped received March 1, 1999, except as modified by the following stipulations.  
 
Proposed language – Z 99-009 Condition ‘b’ 
 
Development and use of the site shall be in substantial conformance with the narrative 
report entitled “Modification of Special Use Permit Z99-09 Condition ‘f’”, consisting of six 
(6) pages, dated April 30, 2020, and stamped received May 5, 2020, except as modified 
by the following stipulations conditions.  
 
Existing language – Z 99-009 Condition ‘f’ 
 
This Special Use Permit shall expire 20 years from the date of approval by the Board of 
Supervisors, or upon expiration of the lease to the applicant, or upon termination of the 
use, whichever occurs first.  All of the site improvements including monopole, shall be 
removed within 60 days of such termination or expiration. 
 
Proposed language – Z 99-009 Condition ‘f’ 
 
This Special Use Permit shall expire on July 22, 2040, or upon termination of the use for a 
period of 120 or more days, whichever occurs first.  All of the site improvements including 
monopole, shall be removed within 120 days of such termination or expiration.  
 
Recommendation: 
 
10. 
Staff recommends the Commission motion for approval of Z2020030 to modify conditions 
‘b’ & ‘f’ of Z 99-009 subject to conditions ‘a’ – ‘i’ : 
 
a. 
Development of the site shall comply with the site plan entitled “PHO 
Gunpowder”, consisting of one (1) sheet, dated (revised) February 26, 1999, and 
stamped received March 1, 1999, except as modified by the following conditions.  
 
b. 
Development of the site shall be in substantial conformance with the Narrative 
Report entitled “Modification of Special Use Permit Z99-09 Condition ‘f’“, consisting 
of six (6) pages, dated April 30, 2020, and stamped received May 5, 2020, except 
as modified by the following conditions.  
 
c. 
Approval of this Special Use Permit is subject to variance approval by the Board of 
Adjustment for substandard lot area.  
 
d. 
The height of the monopole, including any attachments shall be limited to 65’. 
 
e. 
The applicant shall submit a written report outlining the status of the development 
at the end of five (5) years from the date of approval by the Board of Supervisors. 
The status report shall be reviewed by staff to determine whether the special use 
is compatible with the surrounding area.

Z2020030 
Page 7 of 7 
 
f. 
This special use permit shall expire on July 22, 2040, or upon termination of the use 
for a period of 120 or more days, whichever occurs first.  All of the site 
improvements including monopole and equipment shall be removed within 120 
days of such termination or expiration.   
 
g. 
Major changes to this plan of development (the site plan and narrative report) 
/Special Use Permit shall be processed as a revised application in the same 
manner as the original application, with final determination made by the Board of 
Supervisors following recommendation by staff and the Planning and Zoning 
Commission.  Minor changes may be administratively approved by staff of the 
Planning and Development Department.  
 
h. 
Non-compliance with the Plan of Development (the site plan and narrative report) 
of the conditions of approval will be treated as a violation in accordance with 
provisions of the Maricopa County Zoning Ordinance.  
 
i. 
Where demonstrated possible, the applicant/property owner shall facilitate co-
location for other communication service providers. Co-location facilities may be 
approved administratively by staff of the Planning and Development Department.  
 
 
 
Presented by: 
Martin Martell, Planner 
Reviewed by: 
Matthew Holm, AICP, Planning Supervisor 
 
Attachments: 
Case Map (1 page) 
 
Narrative Report (6 pages)