Attachment B <br />course, in which the variance was denied (City file numbers PDT 10-2 and CU 11-1). <br />RESPONSE. AT&T requests a variance to the undergrounding requirement based on (1) the <br />practical difficulties and safety issues related to undergrounding ancillary equipment at this site; <br />(2) the proposed, stealth design and landscaping of the equipment enclosure and (3) the <br />planned use of noise baffling within the shelter. <br />AT&T is required to equip certain telecommunication facilities with an emergency power supply <br />in the case of a disaster that cuts off local power supply to the facility. Emergency generators, <br />like the one proposed at this site, use a diesel combustion engine to supply power. <br />Undergrounding a combustion engine poses several safety risks, including the risk of explosion <br />and risks to maintenance personnel who would have to service combustible equipment in a <br />confined space. (Maintenance of undergrounded facilities requires at least two maintenance <br />people, so that one can perform safety checks when the other is servicing equipment.) These <br />safety risks make undergrounding prohibitive. Additionally, an undergrounded equipment <br />shelter (compared to an above ground equipment shelter) requires a larger construction <br />footprint, additional belowground impervious surface, and several above ground ventilators and <br />air pumps (which could generate additional noise) to provide cooling for the equipment and <br />resolve air quality issues for maintenance personnel. <br />The proposed design is a fully enclosed equipment shelter, designed to resemble the existing <br />church building, with compatible architecture and matching roofing, siding, and paint. The <br />shelter would be lined with extensive sound baffling to reduce noise produced by the WTF's <br />ancillary equipment well below the city's limit of 45 dBa at the adjacent property lines. See Att. <br />07 (Sound Study). <br />The Applicant would construct the equipment shelter so that part of it is allocated to the <br />telecommunication facility, and the other part would function as a storage area for the property <br />owner so that it appears and functions as an extension of the existing church building. Unlike <br />the Northgreen application, where no generator was proposed, there is an emergency <br />generator needed for this location. As described above, it is not feasible to locate the generator <br />underground and its contribution to the noise output is de minimus, as the generator would only <br />operate during one monthly 5-10 minute maintenance test during daytime hours (7 AM-10 <br />PM). This test can be scheduled at a time designed to have the slightest impact on surrounding <br />property owners. Of course, in the event of emergency, the generator would operate for the <br />time required within the heavily baffled equipment enclosure to provide critical wireless service <br />to the neighborhood during an emergency. See Att. 04 (Site Plan) and Att. 07 (Sound Study). <br />(10) Removal of Facilities. <br />(a) All transmission towers and antennas shall be removed by the person who <br />constructed the facility, by the person who operates the facility, or by the <br />property owner, within 6 months of the time that the facilities have ceased <br />being used to transmit, receive or relay voice and data signals to or from <br />Completeness Review: New Cingular Wireless - Crossfire Church (CU 14-3) 33 <br />