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C. 96

To:	Board of Supervisors
From:	John Kopchik, Director, Conservation & Development Department
Date:	February 7, 2023

Contra

Costa

County

Subject:

Authorization for the Installation of a Telecommunications Facility within the Blackhawk Development (Dish Wireless - Applicant)

APPROVE	OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR	RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE

Action of Board On: 02/07/2023

APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED

OTHER

Clerks Notes:

VOTE OF SUPERVISORS

AYE:

John Gioia, District I Supervisor
Candace Andersen, District II Supervisor
Diane Burgis, District III Supervisor
Ken Carlson, District IV Supervisor
Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor

Contact:

Everett Louie 925-655-2873

I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED: February 7, 2023
Monica Nino, County Administrator

BY:	, Deputy

RECOMMENDATION(S):

1. FIND that the project is Categorically Exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), Minor Utility Extensions – Class 3(d).


2. APPROVE and AUTHORIZE, under the terms of the attached grant deed of development rights held by the County, Dish Wireless to collocate a wireless telecommunication facility on a PG&E transmission tower located on Assessor’s Parcel No. 203-760-036, near the Eagle Nest Lane/Eagle Nest Place intersection, in the Danville/Blackhawk area, in accordance with County land use permit LP22-02008.

RECOMMENDATION(S): (CONT'D)

3. DIRECT the Department of Conservation and Development – Community Development Division to file a Notice of Exemption with the County Clerk.

FISCAL IMPACT:

There is no fiscal impact. The applicant has paid the necessary application deposit and is obligated to pay supplemental fees to recover any and all additional costs associated with the application process.

BACKGROUND:

The proposed Dish Network wireless telecommunication facility will be located on an existing PG&E transmission tower located on an open space parcel in Blackhawk west of the intersection of Eagle Nest Place and Eagle Nest Road. Per the conditions of approval (COA) of Subdivision 6432, the development rights for the open space parcel have been dedicated to Contra Costa County necessitating the Board to authorize installation of the facility on the existing tower.

The PG&E transmission tower currently includes T-Mobile and AT&T wireless telecommunications facilities. The PG&E transmission tower also includes a Metro PCS facility not currently in operation. The T-Mobile and Metro PCS facilities were approved by the Zoning Administrator on February 27, 2006, and by the Board of Supervisors on March 13, 2007. The existing AT&T facility was approved to be collocated on the tower by the Zoning Administrator on July 6, 2009, and then by the Board of Supervisors on October 6, 2009.

On April 15, 2022, Dish Wireless submitted an application to amend the Blackhawk Final Development Plan (County File #CDDP84-03003) to allow the colocation of a Dish wireless telecommunication equipment on the existing Pacific Gas & Electric tower. The proposed facility will consist of the following tower equipment: three (3) panel antennas, six (6) remote radio units (two per sector), one surge suppression device, one hybrid cable, twenty-four (24) jumpers, three (3) remote electrical tilt cables. Ground based equipment will be placed within a 116-square-foot lease that includes: one cable tray / ice bridge, one utility H-frame, one baseband unit in cabinet, one equipment cabinet, one power conduit, one TELCO conduit, one NEMA 3 TELCO-fiber box, one global positioning system (GPS) antenna and a Camlock GEN LUG Intersect. The antennas will be located at the top of the existing Pacific Gas & Electric transmission tower, and the ground-based equipment will be located under the tower behind a 6 foot eight-inch-tall enclosure. On November 21, 2022, the Zoning Administrator conducted a noticed public hearing on the application. No public testimony was received, and the application was approved subject to conditions. As such, the proposed project is deemed consistent with the existing uses on-site, which was approved by the Zoning Administrator. Therefore, staff recommends the Board of Supervisors authorize the collocation of the Dish wireless telecommunication facility on the property where the development rights have been granted to the County.

CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:

If not approved, County File #CDLP22-02008 will be denied, and the applicant will not have the right to construct a new Dish Wireless Telecommunications facility.