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Commission approves 55-foot AT&T 'water-tank' cell facility; staff says it fills coverage gap and will support FirstNet
Summary
The Planning Commission unanimously approved a conditional-use and special-development permit for a 55-foot wireless facility disguised as a water tank at 8040 16th Street to fill a documented coverage gap; applicant said the site will support FirstNet capabilities for first responders and the county expanded the notice radius to 1,500 feet.
The Sacramento County Planning Commission on June 8 approved a conditional-use permit, special-development permit and design review for an AT&T wireless communication facility at 8040 16th Street in the Rio Linda–Alberta community.
Associate planner Christopher Albert described the project as a 55-foot-tall structure disguised as a water tank sited on the southeast portion of the enclosure; landscaping and a six-foot chain-link fence with slats would screen the facility. Staff said the site would fill a coverage gap shown on the submitted maps and increase indoor and transit coverage in the area. The entitlements include a 10-foot deviation from the required 31-foot setback from the public right-of-way; staff said that deviation is related to a future planned expansion of 16th Street analyzed in the Alberta Specific Plan.
Commissioners asked about neighbor outreach and future modifications. Albert said the project did not receive written comments to planning staff before the hearing but two residents had expressed opposition at the Rio Linda–Alberta Community Planning Advisory Committee (CPAC). Senior planner Emma Patton told the commission that, by right, a future height increase of up to 20 feet is possible, although the applicant is proposing to keep the facility at 55 feet now.
Applicant representative Jared Kirstley of 51 Wireless, appearing for AT&T, said the county-notice radius was expanded from the 500-foot minimum to 1,500 feet for this rural-area site and that the facility will provide FirstNet (Band 14) capability for first responders. Kirstley said the proposed structure is designed to accommodate collocation for additional carriers and could be lengthened vertically to add capacity if needed.
Two members of the public had raised design and proximity concerns at the CPAC meeting but no public comments were filed with the planning commission clerk. A motion to approve the item passed with all members present voting yes (recorded as 4-0). The commission’s approval includes the conditional-use permit, special-development permit and design-review findings and conditions listed in the staff report.
