Loading...
Exhibit CC 02-15-2011 Item No. 17 RECONSIDERATION OF DENIAL OF Appeal of Approval of U-2010-03, EXC-2010-04 & TR-2010-31 I 'j i1 �. r , t, , E 1 I T , 4 l s l Reconsideration of Denial of Appeal of Approval of U- 2010 -03, EXC- 2010 -04 & TR- 2010-31 Petitioner: Grace Chen, Guo Jin Applicant: Dave Yocke, Trillium Telecom (for AT &T Mobility) Project Location: Results Way (rear parking lot) Project Scope: Use Permit, Height Exception & Tree Removal to allow the construction of a personal wireless service facility, consisting of 12 panel antennas mounted at 67' or less on a 74 -ft tall monopine with associated base equipment. 9/14/10 - Planning Commission approved project (4 -1 vote 9/28/10 - Project appealed by three residents 11/1/10 & 1/4/11 - Appeal denied by City Council (4 -1 vote) 1/18/11 - Two appellants petition for reconsideration. Grounds for Reconsideration under CMC Section 2.08.096 1) An offer of new relevant evidence, which in the exercise of reasonable diligence, could not have been produced at any earlier city hearing. 2) An offer of relevant evidence which was improperly excluded at any prior city hearing. 3) Proof of facts which demonstrate that the City Council proceeded without, or in excess of its jurisdiction. 1 Grounds for Reconsideration under CMC Section 2.08.096 (contd.) 4) Proof of facts which demonstrate that the City Council failed to provide a fair hearing. 5) Proof of facts which demonstrate that the City Council abused its discretion by: a) Not preceding in a manner required by law; and/or b) Rendering a decision which was not supported by findings of fact; and/or c) Rendering a decision in which the findings of fact were not supported by the evidence. Basis of Reconsideration • Three of the four claims do not bear any relationship to the reconsideration criteria. • One claim may be construed as new, relevant evidence. 2 Basis of Reconsideration Three claims bear no relationship to reconsideration criteria in CMC 2.08.096. Petition Response 1) Screening landscaping needs to follow 1) The petitioners seek to add and refine strict aesthetic guidelines. Landscaping previous conditions of approval, which must conform to the approved do not relate to the reconsideration redevelopment plans for the office park. criteria. Landscaping is not clear and should be 2) The petitioners seek to add new open for public view. development condition to City approval, 2) Request to add a new condition to the which does not relate to the approval, requiring applicant to pay reconsideration criteria. $30,000 to the Astoria HOA for 3) There is no evidence or facts that relate improvements related to the wireless to the reconsideration criteria. Request facility. for continuance should be denied. Site 3) Talking to owners of 10340, 10420 Bubb was already evaluated by applicant. Road to explore a lease for a cell site. Need time allowance. Basis of Reconsideration The petitioners have not offered any new evidence to demonstrate that Monta Vista H.S. has become a viable alternative site for wireless facilities. Petition Response 4) Fremont Union High School District has 41 The petitioners have not presented any recently entered into leases for cell sites evidence that FUHSD would be willing at several other high schools in the to consider Monta Vista H.S. for cell site district. More than 5 years have passed development. Existing 2005 city since AT &T approached FUHSD. Given approval has already expired. what has happened at other schools, AT &T should go back and check. 3 Recommendation It is recommended that Council deny the petition for reconsideration of U- 2010 -03, EXC- 2010-04 and TR- 2010 -31 per the draft resolution. 4 cc 1( fit 11 H b i 10192 imperial Ave. Cupertino. CA 95014 February 15, 2011 Via Electronic Mail Ms. Carol Korade City Attorney City of Cupertino (c attornevr(12cupertino,org) Cupertino City Hall 10300 Torre Avenue Cupertino, CA 95014 -3202 Re: Addendum to Reconsideration of Appeal of an Approval of a Wireless Service Facility on Results Way, dated January 6, 2011 Dear Ms. Korade: Please include the attached exhibit titled "Exhibit I : Addendum to Reconsideration of Appeal of an Approval of a Wireless Service Facility on Results Way, dated January 6, 2011 for the inclusion of the petition for reconsideration. Thank you. Sinterell'. Grace Chen • Guo Sits Exhibit 1: Addendum to Petition for Reconsideration of Appeal of an Approval of a Wireless Service Facility on Results Way, dated January 6, 2011 Prologue: Astoria residents are moving out City of Cupertino's Municipal Code Sec. 2.08.096 (1) An offer of new relevant evidence which. in the exercise of reasonable diligence, could not have been produced at any earlier city hearing. Support Details Date Relevant Events 09/14/10 Planning Committee approved personal wireless service facility 10/29/10 10154 Imperial Ave., listed for sale 11/01/10 Appeal heard by City Council (continuance) 01/05/11 Appeal heard by City Council denied 01; 1 1 10170 Imperial Ave., listed for sale The sellers of these homes are our friends. What is said and recorded in the City Council meeting may be deleteri3us to the sale of their home. We must be prudent in our language in the appeal. Point 1: The need for an integrated landscape plan. Supporting Details Sec. 2.08.096 (2) An offer of relevant (1) Inconsistency in new and existing irrigation evidence which was improperly excluded at systems. any prior city hearing Cite: Re: January 6, 2011 Appeal of an (2)Approved development plans of the Results Way approval of a vviceless service faciltiy on office park show new landscaping plan and irrigation Results Way system that aim in accomodating the new plans. Page 1, paragraph 1 ... "(6) require that tree (3) Existing irrigation systems can not accomodate the planting conform with the approve,: approved plans. It will need to be replaced when the development plans of the results way office new construction commences. park." Page 3. paragraph 1, ... "final landscaping (4) The care and proper maintenance of the existing and plan shall confirm that the existing new trees in the discussed area will succumb to undue irrigation systems are operating properly in environmental stress, and can he avoided if properly order to service the existing and new trees executed from the beginning. in the area." Page 1 of 2 Point 2: Request S30,000, to be appropriated to Astoria HOA Supporting Details Sec. 2.08.096 (2) An offer of relevant (1) Astoria community can not provide input or impact evidence w hich was improperly excluded at on the decision of the landscaping in the Results Way anv prior city hearing office park. and can not be assured that the landscaping will adequately serve screening of the treepole for Astoria townhouse development. (2) The Astoria development will also need to re- evaluate screening of the treepole from its property. (3) The south side of the Astoria townhouse complex continues to extend from the existing south side wall westward toward Imperial Avenue for approximately 160 feet The visual impact on this section of the Astoria development has not been addressed. (4) The a ppellants did not have any opportunity to respond to the "ideal compromise ", approved by the City Council, on January 4, 2011. (5) Clarification: Budeet is to be allocated exclusively for the specific use along Astoria's south side of the property. Point 3: Re- negotiate with Fremont Union High School District (FUHSD) of lease opportunities Supporting Details • Sec. 2.08.096 (1) An offer of new relevant (1) On January 4, 201 1,•the FUHSD Governing Board evidence which. in the exercise of approved to lease and construction of new cell tower at reasonable diligence. could not have been Lynbrook High School. produced at any earlier city hearing. (2) AT &T has repeated stated that the ideal site is that of Morita Vista HS (MVHS) In 2005, the City approved of the wireless facility at MVHS, but was withdrawn by AT &T because FUHSD chose not to enter into leasing agreement at that time. The permit expired in 2007. (3) Over the years FUHSD has increased its flexibility in its policy in the approval of lease and construction of cell tower in the high school district. (4) AT &T has not present any facts of recent date that AT &T has approached FUHSD to refute possible leasing opportunities at MVI IS. given these new developments. (5) The site of MVHS is technological feasible and may be potentially available. Page 2 of 2 c C 1 � s lit ce L4 I aC j l JOHN DI BENE Gereral Attorney AT &T Services, Inc. Legal Department 2600 Camino Ramon Room 2W901 San Ramon, California 94583 925.543.1548 Phone 925.867.3869 Fax jdb @att.com February 14, 2011 Via Electronic Mail Ms. Carol Korade City Attorney City of Cupertino (cityattorney@cupertino.org) Cupertino City Hall 10300 Torre Avenue Cupertino, CA 95014 -3202 Re: Response to Petition for Reconsideration of Appeal of an Approval of a Wireless Service Facility on Results Way, dated January 6, 2011 Dear Ms. Korade: AT &T has reviewed the petition for reconsideration ( "Petition ") filed by Grace Chen and Guo Jin ( "Petitioners ") on January 18, 2011 and it believes that the Petition must be denied because it fails to identify any ground on which reconsideration may be allowed pursuant to the City of Cupertino's Municipal Code. Pursuant to section 2.08.096 of the Municipal Code, the only grounds that may be raised in a petition for reconsideration are: 1. An offer of new relevant evidence which, in the exercise of reasonable diligence, could not have been produced at any earlier city hearing. 2. An offer of relevant evidence which was improperly excluded at any prior city hearing. 3. Proof of facts which demonstrate that the City Council proceeded without, or in excess of its, jurisdiction. 4. Proof of facts which demonstrate that the City Council failed to provide a fair hearing. 5. Proof of facts which demonstrate that the City Council abused its discretion by: a. Not preceding in a manner required by law; and /or Ms. Korade City of Cupertino February 14, 2011 Page 2 b. Rendering a decision which was not supported by findings of fact; and/or c. Rendering a decision in which the findings of fact were not supported by the evidence. As explained below, the Petition fails to raise any of these grounds, and hence should he denied. First, the Petition begins by asserting that "Astoria residents are moving out." In particular, Petitioners suggest that the approval of AT &T's use permits has caused residents of the Astoria townhome complex to put their homes up for sale. However, by Petitioners' own admission, that suggestion is "not substantiated." Instead, Petitioners' assertion is pure speculation. Such speculation is wholly insufficient to constitute "new relevant evidence" under the Council's rules that could not have been produced at an earlier hearing (section 2.08.096(1)). Nor does such speculation show that the Council improperly excluded any evidence (section 2.08.096(2)), that the Council acted in excess of its jurisdiction (section 2.08.096(3)), that the Council failed to provide a fair hearing (section 2.08.096(4)), or that the Council abused its discretion in any way (section 2.08.096(5)). In addition, even if such speculaticn were considered evidence, the Petition offers no explanation as to why it could not have been presented it earlier. AT &T's use permits were granted back in September 2010. Presumably, if the approval of AT &T's permits had actually affected the number of Astoria townhomes put on the market. Petitioners could have presented such evidence Lt either of this Council's subsequent hearings, on November 1, 2010 or January 6, 2011. The Petition certainly does not suggest that facts have changed so dramatically in the twelve days between the Last hearing and the date of the Petition as to warrant reconsideration. Point 1 of the Petition requests that the Council confirm and clarify two matters addressed in the Council's January 6. 2011 letter, which described the action taken at the Council's January 4 meeting. First, Petitioners ask the Council to "confirm the `additional screening trees at the northern property line' wil I conform to that of the approved re- development plans of the 19.8 acre Results Way office park." This request is not a proper ground for reconsideration, because it does not claim that the Council has failed to consider any new, relevant evidence (section 2.08.096(1)); improperly excluded evidence (section 2.08.096(2)); acted in excess of its jurisdiction (section 2.08.096(3)); failed to provide a fair hearing (section 2.08.096(4)); or abused its discretion (section 2.08.096(5)). Point 1 goes on to say that the "[1]andscape plans on the Results Way" be "further clarified and explained in detail" and that "full landscape plans ... be made available for public viewing and open for review" by Petitioners. This also is not a proper request for reconsideration because it is not based on any of the grounds set forth in Section 2.08.096 of the Municipal Code. In addition, this request is unnecessary in any event. because the Council has already required that AT &T's plans to plant and replace trees be "reviewed and approved by the Director of Community Development prior to the issuance of building permits" and that AT &T's "final landscaping plan ... confirm that the existing Ms. Korade City of Cupertino February 14, 2011 Page 3 irrigation systems are operating properly in order to service the existing and new trees in the area." 1/6/11 Letter at 2 -3. Point 2 of the Petition asks the Council to order AT &T to give $30,000 to the Astoria Homeowners Association. While Point 2. lists certain landscaping needs that the Homeowners Association might use that money to address, it makes clear that the Homeowners Association would not be "limited to" such uses. Not only does Point 2 fail to identify any valid ground for reconsideration (as set forth in Section 2.08.096), but it also attempts to exact funds from AT &T for unlimited and improper purposes. Point 2 therefore must be rejected. In Point 3, the Petitioners assert that AT &T should be required to begin its search for a site all over again, focusing this time on Monta Vista High School. But as the Petition recognizes, AT &T already sought to install a wireless facility at Monta Vista High School in 2005, and that effort was unsuccessful. The Petition offers no indication or any reason to believe that AT &T would meet with any more success were it to renew its request at the school now. But even if such information could be found, that would not meet the rehearing standard at this late date. AT &T has been searching for over five years for a site in the area to remedy its coverage gap. Petitioner's suggestion that AT &T go back to sites that it has already investigated in detail and explored is a transparent attempt to prolong AT &T's search even further. More to the point, Point 3 fails to identify any valid ground for reconsideration as set forth in Section 2.08.096 of the Municipal Code. The Petitioners' request in Point 4 for additional time to pursue preliminary discussions with other property owners similarly is not a ground for reconsideration. In Point 4. the Petition asserts that "[w]e are in preliminary discussion with property owner(s) on nearby Bubb Road, with specific address of 10340 Bubb Road and 10420 Bubb Road ... to explore the leasing of space on the property to AT &T for a personal wireless service facility." This section of the Petition does not claim that the Council improperly excluded any evidence (section 2.08.096(2)), that the Council acted in excess of its jurisdiction (section 2.08.096(3)), that the Council failed to provide a fair hearing (section 2.08.096(4)), or that the Council abused its discretion in any way (section 2.08.096(5)). Point 4 also does not `offer of new relevant evidence which, in the exercise of reasonable diligence, could not have been produced at any earlier city hearing" (section 2.08.096(1)). First, Petitioners offer no indication that the property owners on Bubb Road have any interest in leasing space to AT &T. Second, Petitioners do not (and indeed, cannot) offer any evidence that such properties would address AT &T's coverage needs. Third, Petitioners offer no explanation why they could not have presented this "evidence" earlier. The Council provided Petitioners with ample opportunity, at both its November 1 hearing and January 4 hearing, to present any alleged evidence of alternative sites. Petitioners should not be allowed to use the reconsideration procedure as an excuse to further delay the application process. * ** Ms. Korade City of Cupertino February 14, 2011 Page 4 AT &T has worked diligently for the last five years to find an ideal site in Cupertino to install its wireless facilities. AT &T needs a new site in the area to address a gap in its wireless coverage — a gap that has become of increasing concern not only to AT &T and its commercial customers, but also to the City's fire and emergency personnel. At its January 4 meeting, the Council reached the ideal compromise between AT &T's need for coverage and area residents' concerns regarding the visual impact of the proposed facility. The Council conditioned its approval of AT &T's application on AT &T taking measures to screen its facility and ensure that it will blend in with the surrounding environment. The Petition fails to identify any reason for the Council to reconsider its comprehensive decision. Therefore, AT &T respectfully requests that the Council deny the Petition. Respectfully submitted, .�� i 1 Cc: City Clerk, City of Cupertino (cityclerk @cupertino.org)