Attachment B <br />expected. <br />The design is required to reasonably blend in with the surroundings and the photo simulation <br />"View from Amazon Drive" shows that the tower will be about the same height and shape as <br />the nearby fir tree. Since that tree appears to be on the same property, staff requests that the <br />applicant gather actual samples of the branches and bark and compare that to the proposed <br />tower; also, submit a sample of the tower (as an oversized exhibit), which was provided by <br />AT&T on another case. Provide as much comparative information as possible, like the height of <br />that tree compared to the tower and the distance between the two. <br />The tower seems to really stick out in the photo simulation entitled "Intersection of Amazon <br />Drive and Fox Hollow Road." The tower sticks out amongst the shorter, deciduous trees along <br />the street. Is there room to plant more fir trees in that area to create an atmosphere that <br />softens the bulk and scale of the tower? The arborvitae proposed around the fence enclosing <br />the ancillary facilities seem to only emphasize the monotony; would another plant mix with a <br />variety of species help create a better blending effect? The applicant should consider additional <br />screening that may be needed beyond the perimeter of the tower and equipment, depending <br />on visual impacts from nearby homes and other strategic locations a long the property lines <br />that would help to buffer the facility. <br />RESPONSE. Regardless of color and height the proposed monopine does a great job of blending <br />into the context within which it sits. There is an existing stand alone tree on the site that is even <br />taller than this one. And yet, one wouldn't point at it and say it stands out because it is real. The <br />cell tower is the best approximation of the surrounding vegetation that a man made object can <br />achieve. Once it is constructed and the focus is no longer one of "looking directly at the <br />monopine from one viewpoint" it will "disappear into the context like all the other offending <br />elements that have been placed there (i.e. utility poles, bad architecture, dilapidated homes, <br />fences in disrepair, transformer boxes, electrical wires, etc.) <br />The photo simulation entitled "View NE from Dillard and Fox Hollow" shows the top of the <br />tower branches rising above the tree-lined ridgeline. Conversely, there's a power pole in the <br />area that appears to be taller. It may be helpful to put those two features into perspective with <br />the tower - being a utility. Is there any way to vary the branch alignment to more closely <br />resemble the tree canopy on the horizon? Again, the application needs to better address the <br />proposed design in context with surrounding features. <br />RESPONSE:` AT&T proposes installation of a 75 foot monopine located at the southeast corner <br />of church property at 4060 West Amazon Drive in an R-1 Low Density Residential zone. As <br />described above, the mass and scale of the proposed monopine would match the mass and scale <br />of 4 adjacent pine trees: a 100 foot tall pine tree about 125 feet to the south; 2 49-foot-tall pine <br />trees about 75 feet to the southeast, and a 63 foot tall pine tree about 75 feet to the north. See <br />Att. 04 (Site Plan, Sheets SV1 and L1.0) and Att. 10a (Photo Simulations). The branches toward <br />the top of the monopine would come to a short, round taper, rather than the steep taper seen <br />Completeness Review: New Cingular Wireless - Crossfire Church (CU 14-3) 20 <br />