ARB approves rooftop wireless antenna screening after applicant moves enclosures back and darkens color

The Carpinteria Architectural Review Board on Jan. 16 approved the final design for a rooftop co‑location project that adds three 8‑foot panel antennas behind architectural screening on an existing building, after the applicant revised the plans to set the screening back and use a darker color to reduce visual impact.

City staff presented the project as a co‑location on a building that already hosts an existing wireless facility. The proposal places three screened antenna enclosures in three rooftop sectors — described in the submittal as north, northwest and southeast — with the top of the installed assemblies reaching roughly 39 feet, 4 inches, which matches the height of the existing rooftop stair housing element. Staff told the board the applicant moved each screening element back by about four feet from the roof edge and selected a darker finish to make the enclosures less visually prominent. Staff also said the revised plans the ARB reviewed matched the versions approved by the Planning Commission.

Brian, the staff presenter, told the board that the earlier preliminary approval had asked the applicant to study moving the screening away from each façade and to consider a darker color; the applicant responded by recessing the enclosures and specifying a darker material. Brian said, and the staff report notes, that the team balanced the screening setback against technical limits on antenna placement and signal spread and that moving the enclosures further back could affect radio frequency performance. He also said the design team considered RF exposure and that keeping the antennas within the shown configuration avoided spreading energy into the building in a way that would be non‑compliant.

The board briefly discussed plan‑sheet callouts. Board member Patrick O'Connor observed that a note on sheet A5 calls for the screening surface to be the same color as the building, which conflicted with another note that specified the darker “wild truffle” color; staff and the applicant agreed to reconcile plan notes so the final permit set explicitly names the darker finish on the antenna screens.

An applicant representative thanked the board and confirmed the team would correct plan‑set notes before building permit submittal. A board motion to grant final architectural approval carried with an affirmative voice vote.

The board’s action completes its design review role; construction and any required permits will be handled through the city’s plan‑check and building permit processes.

ACTIONS AT A GLANCE: Final architectural approval for rooftop wireless facility screening (three antenna enclosures), with staff to ensure permit drawings call out the agreed darker finish and the screening setback shown on the approved plans. Outcome: approved.