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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPLN 20-20 Report to Planning & Development Committee Report Number: PLN 20-20 Date: October 5, 2020 From: Kyle Bentley Director, City Development & CBO Subject: Proposed Telecommunication Tower Installation Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc. Installation #69 Part of Lot 17, Concession 4 (west side of Sideline 16, north of Taunton Road) Recommendation: 1.That Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc. be advised that City Council does not object to the 29.0 metre high radio telecommunication tower installation proposed to be located on the west side of Sideline 16, north of Taunton Road, based on the design and other details submitted with this request. Executive Summary: Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc. (Enbridge Gas) is proposing to erect a 29.0 metre high monopole radio telecommunication tower at a proposed underground pump station site on the west side of Sideline 16, north of Taunton Road and south of Fifth Concession Road. The proposed telecommunication tower will facilitate internal radiocommunication coverage for Enbridge Gas and ensure proper monitoring of natural gas pressure at the site . Infrastructure Ontario (IO) currently owns the subject lands. Enbridge Gas is working with IO to obtain a permanent easement to use the lands for this purpose. On behalf of Enbridge Gas, FONTUR International Inc. (FONTUR) has completed the public consultation process in accordance with Industry Canada requirements and the City’s Radiocommunication and Broadcasting Antenna System Protocol. FONTUR has advised that no public or agency comments were received. As a result, the applicant is requesting that City Council provide a statement of concurrence in support of the installation. City staff are supportive of the proposed installation. This telecommunication tower will assist Enbridge Gas by providing improved operations efficiency and improving internal on -site communication for Enbridge Gas staff. City staff recommends that Enbridge Gas be advised that Council does not object to the proposed tower. Financial Implications: No direct costs to the City are anticipated as a result of the proposed development. Report PLN 20-20 October 5, 2020 Subject: Proposed Telecommunication Tower Installation #69 Page 2 1.Background 1.1 Property Description The subject property is currently owned by Infrastructure Ontario (IO), and is located on the west side of Sideline 16, north of Taunton Road and south of Fifth Concession Road . The property has an area of approximately 138 hectares. Enbridge Gas is working with IO to obtain a license agreement to allow Enbridge Gas access to approximately 900 square metres on the northeast portion of the property. Following this, Enbridge Gas will work with IO to obtain a permanent easement to use the lands (see attached Air Photo Map, Attachment #1). Natural areas currently surround the subject lands. The lands are designated as "Open Space System – Natural Areas" within the City's Official Plan and are currently zoned as "A" – Rural Agricultural within Zoning By-law 3037, as amended. Telecommunication towers are federally regulated and therefore exempt from local zoning regulations. 1.2 Applicant’s Proposal The City has received and is currently reviewing a site plan application from Enbridge Gas on the subject site to construct a 30 metre by 30 metre fenced-in gas regulating station compound (File Number S 05/20). Enbridge Gas currently has an existing pipeline on the east side of Sideline 16 to which the proposed station facility will connect. Landscaping and screening measures will be addressed through the site plan approval process. Enbridge Gas is proposing to erect a 29 metre high monopole radio telecommunication tower on the north end of the subject property. The tower is incorporated into a larger site plan, which includes the proposed gas regulation station (see Proposed Site Plan, Attachment #2, and Submitted Elevation Plan, Attachment #3). Vehicular access to the site will be from Sideline 16 with access to the entire compound being controlled with chain link fencing. The proposed radio telecommunication tower will improve the internal monitoring of natural gas pressure, and maintain the safety and integrity of the current Enbridge network. For safety and security, Enbridge has advised that future co -location is not a possibility since the tower will be located within a private fenced-in compound. For this reason, the tower will not be structurally designed to facilitate co-location. 2.Comments Received 2.1 Public Notification has been completed FONTUR has completed the public consultation in accordance with the City’s Cell Tower Protocol. As this proposal is located in a rural area, the minimum circulation radius of 500 metres from the tower location was applied. A total of 4 property owners were notified by mail, with 2 properties located within the Town of Ajax. Report PLN 20-20 October 5, 2020 Subject: Proposed Telecommunication Tower Installation #69 Page 3 The applicant has advised that no written comments were received as a result of the public circulation (see Applicant’s Site Selection & Justification & Report, Attachment #4). No concerns were received from City Departments or external agencies. 3.Assessment of the Proposal against the City’s Cell Tower Protocol The City’s Telecommunication Tower Protocol (the Protocol) was established to provide direction for proponents on the location and design of antenna towers and provides criteria for staff to assess a proposal. City Development staff have reviewed the proposed tower against the location and design criteria of the City's Protocol. 3.1 Co-location opportunities have been examined The installation and creation of separate, stand-alone radio communications towers and broadcasting facilities are discouraged unless all other co-location options have been explored and are considered unfeasible. FONTUR has advised that there are no suitable towers/structures within their search area given the purpose of this telecommunication tower. 3.2 Proposed Tower Location and Design is Acceptable FONTUR has indicated that the telecommunication tower height has been minimized as much as possible to reduce the visual impact and has minimal land use conflict with the surrounding properties. The monopole design is acceptable given the current rural nature of the surrounding area. No residential properties are within the 500 metre circulation radius of the subject property. Furthermore, lands surrounding the subject property are designated as “Open Space System – Natural Areas” within the City’s Official Plan and are adequately buffered from future developable lands within the Seaton residential areas. Given the context of the site and the efforts already made to reduce the visual impact of the tower, the location and design of the proposal are acceptable. Figure 1: Tower Simulation looking south on Sideline 16 Report PLN 20-20 October 5, 2020 Subject: Proposed Telecommunication Tower Installation #69 Page 4 Staff support the proposed location of this telecommunication tower as it will assist Enbridge Gas to improve their internal communications and monitoring of natural gas pressure. 4.Conclusion Staff recommend that City Council endorse the recommendation in this Report as the installation satisfies the requirements of the City’s Telecommunications Tower Protocol. Attachments: 1.Air Photo Map 2.Proposed Site Plan 3.Submitted Elevation Plan 4.Applicant’s Site Selection & Justification Report Prepared By: Approved/Endorsed By: Felix Chau Catherine Rose, MCIP, RPP Planner I Chief Planner Nilesh Surti, MCIP, RPP Kyle Bentley, P.Eng. Manager, Development Review Director, City Development & CBO & Urban Design FC:ld Recommended for the consideration of Pickering City Council Marisa Carpino, M.A. Interim Chief Administrative Officer !Brock RoadFifth Concession Road Taunton Road WSideline 16TauntonRoad Whitevale Road W ill i a m Jackson Drive ForbrockStreet #* 1:10,000 SCALE: © The Corporation of the City of Pickering Produced (in part) under license from: © Queens Printer, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. All rights reserved.;© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, Department of Natural Resources. All rights reserved.; © Teranet Enterprises Inc. and its suppliers all rights reserved.; © Municipal Property Assessment Corporation and its suppliers all rights reserved. City Development Department THIS IS NOT A PLAN OF SURVEY. Date: Sep. 14, 2020 SubjectLands EL:\PLANNING\01-MapFiles\S\CommunicationTowers\Installation# 69 - Fontur International Inc\CT69_AirPhoto_v2.mxd ¯ Air Photo Map File: Applicant: Property Description: Installation #69 Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc. Part of Lot 17, Concession 4 CT69ETown of AjaxCity of PickeringAttachment #1 to Report #PLN 20-20 Proposed Site Plan City Development Department Sep. 14, 2020FULL SCALE COPIES OF THIS PLAN ARE AVAILABLE FOR VIEWING AT THE CITY OF PICKERING CITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT. Installation #69 Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc.Applicant: Property Description: DATE: File No: Part of Lot 17, Concession 4 L:\Planning\01-MapFiles\S\CommunicationTowers\ Telecommunications Tower Proposed Attachment #2 to Report #PLN 20-20 L:\Planning\01-MapFiles\S\CommunicationTowers\ Sep. 14, 2020DATE: Applicant: Property Description: File No: Submitted Elevation Plan FULL SCALE COPIES OF THIS PLAN ARE AVAILABLE FOR VIEWING AT THE CITY OF PICKERING CITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT. City Development Department Installation #69 Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc. Part of Lot 17, Concession 4 Attachment #3 to Report #PLN 20-20 September 10, 2020 Site Selection & Justification Report Radiocommunications Tower Site Pickering Sideline 16 Road, Pickering, Ontario Attachment #4 to Report #PLN 20-20 Contents Introduction ........................................................................... 3 Description of Proposed System ............................................. 4 Control of Public Access ......................................................... 5 Transport & NAV Canada Assessment .................................... 5 Distance to Residential ........................................................... 5 Engineering Practices ............................................................. 6 Public Consultation ................................................................ 6 Conclusion .............................................................................. 6 Introduction Enbridge Gas Distribution is Canada’s largest gas distribution utility, delivering natural gas to 3.7 million retail customers. Enbridge owns and operates more than 148,800 kilometers of gas distribution mainlines and services lines and 4,800 kilometers of transmission pipelines. Enbridge owns 278.7 billion cubic feet of net working storage in southwest Ontario. In order to maintain safe operations for employees, equipment and customers Enbridge Gas Distribution owns and operates a SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) radiocommunications system across Ontario. This system is comprised of tower and antenna sites distributed across Enbridge properties used for regulating and monitoring of natural gas pressure and operations. These antenna systems are needed in order for each pumping station to communicate with each other and relay information to the central system in addition to supporting maintenance and operations staff’s international communication network. Purpose - Background & Coverage Requirement A radio antenna and a tower are the two most important parts of a radio communication system. The antenna is needed to send and receive signals for the radio station. The tower raises the antenna above obstructions such as trees and buildings so that it can send and receive these signals clearly. Each radio station and its antenna system (including the tower) provide radio coverage to a specific geographic area, often called a cell. The antenna system must be carefully located to ensure that it provi des a good signal over the whole cell area, without interfering with other stations. Currently, there is a gap in radiocommunication coverage for the Enbridge Gas internal communication and monitoring network. This gap does not allow for seamless internal communications and monitoring of natural gas pressure and operations. An installation at the subject property would allow Enbridge to fill this gap in coverage and ensure seamless communications throughout their network. Selection & Justification of Siting The proposed location, Sideline 16 Road was chosen due to the existing underground pump station. The radio antenna at this site is necessary in order for Enbridge to receive information from the pump station. The proposed location (Figure 1.) is set back approximately 35 metres west of Sideline 16 Road and approximately 1 kilometre south of the intersection of Concession Road 5 and Sideline 16 Road. Description of Proposed System The proposed radiocommunication system is a 29 metre monopole tower. The tower will be surrounded by a 30 metre x 30 metre fenced-in compound. The tower and associated equipment shelter will be located on a concrete pad. Statement Indicating Need for Tower Height The proposed height of 29 metres will allow Enbridge to improve internal communications and pressure monitoring at the Sideline 16 Road pump station. This height is required in order for the radiocommunications tower to function as intended and ensure there are no lapses in coverage. Proposed Location Control of Public Access The site facility would include a locked, alarmed and electronically monitored mechanical equipment shelter. Fencing would be installed around the base of the tower and equipment shelter(s) and would include one locked gate access point. Transport & NAV Canada Assessment Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc. attests that the radio antenna system described in this notification package will comply with Transport Canada / NAV Canada aeronautical safety requirements. Enbridge has made all necessary applications to Transport Canada and NAV Canada. Distance to Residential The proposed radiocommunications tower is approximately 250 metres from the nearest residential property. ~250m Engineering Practices Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc. attests that the radio antenna system described in this report will be constructed in compliance with the National Building Code of Canada and comply with good engineering practices including structural adequacy. Public Consultation After the completion of the original justification report on November 7, 2019, a public circulation and consultation has been undertaken in accordance with the City’s established telecommunication tower facility policy document. The public was notified of the proposed tower in accordance with the City’s Consultation Process and Innovation, Science and Economic Development’s CPC 2-0-03. Accordingly, residents and property owners within a radius of 150 metres (measured from the base of the tower) were sent an information brochure via regular mail (Appendix A) that was mailed out on June 22, 2019. A total of seven property owners/agencies were contacted (Appendix B), an additional notice to Innovation, Science and Economic Development. The total commenting period was 30 days and there were no comments from the public. Conclusion Enbridge Gas has determined that a radio installation at Sideline 16 Road, Pickering is necessary to maintain effective communication and proper monitoring of natural gas pressure. To that end, an improvement upon the current radio system is necessary in order to maintain the safety and integrity of the current Enbridge network. As the public comment period regarding this site has expired and that the public has not voiced objection to this installation, Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc. is formally requesting that the City formally acknowledge this report as the conclusion of consultation procedures for this telecommunication tower and issue a letter of concurrence. Should you have any further questions or concerns pertaining to the consultation process associated with this proposal please do not hesitate to contact the undersigned. Sincerely, Brendan Chiu FONTUR International Inc. On Contract to Signum Wireless Inc. Appendix A- Public Notification Brochure (Side 1) Appendix A- Public Notification Brochure (Side 2) Appendix B- Public Mailing List (Pickering) Appendix B- Public Mailing List (Ajax) (END)