Item 5 - NarrativeGRIFFIT
HARI:i�
October 10, 2017
Patty Moos, RLA
Planner I
City of Southlake
1400 Main Street, Suite 310
Southlake, Texas 76092
Re: Amended Application for SUP Case No. ZA17-062
Mason M. Griffin, Partner
Ryan J. Harris, Partner
Atwood 1. Jeter, Partner
Kathy LaLonde, Attorney
214.420.8700 Office
214.420-8704 Fax
klalonde@griffinharris.com
8144 Walnut Hill Lane Suite 1080
Dallas, Texas 75231
Verizon Wireless ("Applicant") amends its request to a 3 -year SUP for temporary
construction facility in the current location of the construction trailers, including the
existing variance from the foundation landscaping requirement for the construction trailers
at that location.
Applicant initially requested a 5 -year SUP to relocate the trailers from their current location
to an area adjacent to the SH 114 R. 0. W., or in the alternative, at the current location. Based
on comments by the planning and zoning commission and one of the neighbors in
opposition to the length of time and location by 114 that we requested, we are amending
the application to reduce the time requested to 3 years and to consider only the existing
location; specifically, Applicant agrees to request a 3 -year SUP (not 5 Year) to expire with
which Applicant agrees not to request another extension, if the trailers can remain in their
current locations.
Due to changes in technology and the staggered age of portions of this facility, for at least
the next several years the Applicant has planned repairs, upgrades, and maintenance of
equipment that all require outside contractors to be on-site. Much of the work is internal
and therefore not obvious from outside the facility, as indicated at the City Council meeting
on May 5, 2015 where the SUP for two years and the foundation planting variance was
approved (ZA15-009, Resolution 15-018).
Those planned upgrades are taking longer than anticipated, and in the interim it has become
apparent to the Applicant that there will be an ongoing need for contractors' offices on site
beyond the two years requested in the current SUP. Applicant agrees as indicated above to
expedite the design, approval, and construction of permanent offices for the contractors on
site to relocate the two contractors' offices that are currently in the trailers to ensure the
trailers can be removed by the end of 2020 at the latest. Applicant has been diligently
seeking a location for the permanent contractors' offices, via engineering studies for
potential locations, and an attempt to get approval for a permanent contractor's office as
part of the site plan application for the loading dock along Kirkwood.
At the May 5, 2015 council meeting approving the current SUP, Mr. Harsy spoke on behalf
of the Kirkwood Hollow HOA and indicated that he was in support of the SUP and thanked
Verizon for providing the extra landscaping proposed in connection with the SUP and the
camouflage trailer wrap. At that time he indicated: "We think this is a win-win for the city
and for the neighborhood and will only help both of us and we're in support and we want
to thank them [Verizon]." The trailer wraps (at a cost of $50,000 plus another $10,000 to
remove upon return to the lessor) and the proposed landscaping Mr. Harsy referenced at
that meeting are all in place in addition to the preexisting landscaping. As the photos
already provided, and videos that will be provided by the Applicant indicate, the
landscaping approved as part of the previous SUP provides excellent screening, and the
trailers will be much less noticeable here than they would be along 114.
The city code Ordinance 480 Section 45.18 requires foundation landscape planting of one
5 -gallon shrub for every 4 linear feet around the skirting, excluding entrances. Applicant
requests a continuation of the existing variance to planting foundation shrubs as the trailers
are not visible from outside the property, due to the distance from the edge of the property
and due to existing heavy landscaping.
The contractor's offices must be separate from the main facility for security reasons, and
are necessary for ongoing and anticipated construction projects, so it is important to have
an authorized space for these contractors without interruption, therefore we request
approval of the SUP extension prior to expiration of the current SUP on December 31,
2017.
Please let me know if you need any additional information. If you have any questions please
call me at 214-534-0900.
Sincerely,