Lee's Summit

SETBACKS. The UDO requires new towers to maintain a minimum setback from all property lines a distance equal to the height of the tower as measured from the base of the structure to its highest point. The proposed monopole is 150' plus an additional 10' for a lightning rod, for a total height of 160'. The proposed tower location satisfies the minimum setback requirement from the north, east and west property lines, but does not meet the minimum setback from the south property line that is located approximately 60' away. Approval of a modification request to the minimum setback requirement shall be required of the City Council as part of this application. Please provide additional detail about what other locations within the boundaries of the existing Police and Courts/future JOF property were considered that would satisfy the minimum setback requirements and why those locations were not chosen. For example, the existing tower location on the south side of the Police/Courts building is located approximately 180' from the south property line, which would meet the 160' setback requirement. Why could the existing tower site or similar site more interior to the property not accommodate the proposed tower? Could existing parking spaces behind the Police/Courts building not be removed and relocated to create a site for the tower? We need more background information regarding what considerations were made for alternate sites within the property boundaries leading to the selection of the proposed tower site along the NE Tudor Rd frontage as the optimal choice for inclusion in the staff report and in preparation for the public hearings before the Planning Commission and City Council.

SEPARATION DISTANCES. The UDO requires new towers over 90' in height to be separated from any other telecommunications tower over 90' in height by a distance of at least one (1) mile. The proposed tower location is separated from a 200'-tall tower located at 1351 NW Ward Rd by a distance of approximately 0.93 miles (~4,926') and thus does not meet the minimum separation requirement. Approval of a modification request to the minimum separation requirement shall be required of the City Council as part of this application. This comment is for informational and documentation purposes. No further response is required.

LANDSCAPING. The UDO requires that a telecommunication tower be landscaped to provide a buffer of plant materials that effectively screens the view of the tower base and accessory structures from adjacent property. The landscape plan shows a single row of evergreens consisting of a total of 7 trees along the southwest and southeast perimeter of the tower enclosure. Given the fact that the tower is located approximately 60' from the south property line; the fence enclosure being located approximately 20' from the south property line; and the tower facility being located along an arterial road, staff recommends that a double staggered row of evergreen trees be provided along the southwest and southeast perimeter of the tower enclosure to provide an immediate opaque living screen of the tower base and accessory structure.

SECURITY FENCING. The UDO requires that a telecommunication tower be enclosed by fencing not less than 6' in height and equipped with an appropriate anti-climbing device. Provide a detail of the proposed fencing with anti-climbing device for review.

TOWER DESIGN. The UDO requires that a telecommunication tower be painted a neutral color approved by the City Council so as to reduce visual obtrusiveness. Provide a tower detail/elevation that calls out the proposed tower finish and color. The tower rendering shows the tower as white, but no information is provided indicating if that is the proposed tower's actual color or what type of finish it will have. For your information, some past telecommunication tower applications have proposed towers with just an unpainted galvanized finish, rather than a painted finished, to avoid the need for on-going maintenance of chipped or peeling paint on the tower exterior. City Council has approved towers with unpainted galvanized finishes in the past.

SITE PLAN. The architectural site plan does not show property lines. Add and identify the property lines on the site plan.