|
Project Title: |
Continuing Operation of an Existing Verizon Wireless Telecommunications Facility |
|
County File: |
#CDLP26-02025 |
|
Applicant: |
Isabel Chavez - Network Connex for Verizon |
|
Owners: |
Michael R. & Lin Gustafson |
|
Zoning/General Plan: |
Agricultural Preserve District (A-4) / Agricultural Lands (AL) |
|
Site Location: |
2640 Hess Road, Concord, CA 94521 (APN: 118-050-018) |
|
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Status: |
Categorical Exemption: Class I, CEQA Guidelines Section 15301(b). |
|
Project Planner: |
Adrian Veliz, Senior Planner (925) 655-2879 Adrian.veliz@dcd.cccounty.us |
|
Staff Recommendation: |
Approve (See Section II for Full Recommendation) |
I. PROJECT SUMMARY
The applicant requests approval of a Land Use permit to allow for the continuing operation of an existing Verizon wireless telecommunications facility established under Land Use Permit #CDLP15-02043, which expired on July 29, 2026. Presently, the wireless facility remains in operation and no modifications to the facility are proposed.
II. RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the Zoning Administrator:
A. OPEN the public hearing on the Verizon Wireless Telecommunications Facility, RECEIVE testimony, and CLOSE the public hearing;
B. DETERMINE that the Verizon Wireless Telecommunications Facility is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under CEQA Guidelines Section 15301;
C. APPROVE the Land Use Permit, County File #CDLP26-02025, for the Verizon Wireless Telecommunications Facility
D. APPROVE findings in support of the Project;
E. APPROVE the project Conditions of Approval; and
F. DIRECT staff to file a CEQA Notice of Exemption with the County Clerk.
III. GENERAL INFORMATION
A. General Plan: AL, Agricultural Lands
B. Zoning: A-4, Agricultural Preserve District
C. California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Compliance: Categorical Exemption - Class 1: CEQA Guidelines Section 15301(b), the continued operation of existing facilities of both investor and publicly owned utilities used to provide electric power, natural gas, sewerage, or other public utility services, are exempt from review.
D. Previous Applications of Relevance:
1) CDWC21-00001: A wireless collocation permit authorizing a non-substantial modification to equipment installed upon the existing Verizon wireless facility, approved by the Zoning Administrator on April 13, 2021.
2) CDCV16-00090: A condition of approval (COA) compliance review application for the establishment of the Verizon Wireless facility, as previously entitled under CDLP15-02043. The COA compliance review application was approved administratively by CDD staff on June 15, 2017.
3) CDLP15-02043: A Land Use Permit authorizing the construction and establishment of a new Verizon Wireless telecommunications facility on the subject property. The Land Use Permit was approved by the Zoning Administrator on July 18, 2016, for a 10-year period expiring July 29, 2026.
IV. SITE / AREA DESCRIPTION
The subject site is located approximately 0.3 miles southeast of the Kirker Pass/Hess Road intersection in the Concord area of unincorporated Contra Costa County. The assessor’s parcel number for the site is 118-050-018. The property consists of 32.51 total acres and is developed with one single-family residence and several detached accessory buildings such as barns and sheds. Vegetation on site predominantly consists of grasslands, however, there are several mature trees scattered in close proximity to the developed area of the site. Parcels in the vicinity range from 30-acres to over 100-acres in area and tend to be developed with agricultural uses. The City of Clayton is located immediately to the south. The Oakhurst Golf Course and North Valley subdivision are notable developments near the subject property.
V. PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The applicant requests approval of a Land Use Permit to allow the continued operation of an existing Verizon Wireless telecommunications facility consisting of two separate lease areas, having a combined area of 1,740 square feet, consisting of the following elements:
• Approximately 840 s.f. (28’ x 30’) fenced lease area located in southerly portion of the site, including:
o Two 18-foot-tall monoeucalyptus structures:
o Four (4) Panel Antennas per monoeucalyptus (eight (8) total);
o Four (4) Verizon Wireless Radios per monoeucalyptus (eight (8) total);
o Five (5) Faux trees surrounding monoeucalyptus structures (visual screening);
o Two (2) Raycaps, One (1) Backup battery cabinet, and One (1) Transformer on 4’ x 9’ concrete pad.
• Approximately 900 square feet (30’ x 30’) fenced lease area, centrally located near an existing barn on the subject property, including the following equipment:
o One (1) Backup diesel generator;
o Two (2) Verizon equipment cabinets
o Two (2) Verizon Transformers;
o One (1) Verizon disconnect switch;
o One (1) Verizon GPA antenna;
o One (1) Verizon Wireless Telco Box;
o Miscellaneous small electrical equipment, junction boxes, conduit, power cables, fiber cables.
The project does not include any proposed modifications to the existing facility or its lease area as part of this Land Use Permit application.
VI. AGENCY COMMENTS
An Agency Comment Request packet was sent on July 16, 2026, to a number of public agencies, including Building Inspection Division, Contra Costa County Fire Protection District, Telecom Planning staff, Environmental Health Division. Agency comments received by staff are included in Attachment 3. The following are summaries of the agency comments received.
A. Contra Costa County Fire Protection District (CCCFPD): In a returned Agency Comment Request form dated July 16, 2026, CCCFPD staff indicated no comment on the proposed project.
VII. STAFF ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION
A. General Plan: The subject property is located on lands having an Agricultural Lands (AL) General Plan land use designation, which includes privately-owned rural land, excluding land with prime soil or lands in east County in or near the Delta. The purpose of the Agricultural Lands designation is to preserve and protect agricultural use of the land. The property and immediate vicinity is characterized by open space hillsides and grazing land, consistent with the AL designation. The provision of cellular coverage provides a vital service to the area that would be of benefit to nearby businesses, workers, and/or commuters in the area. Additionally, the continued operation of the existing facility affects a marginal portion of the 32.51-acre project site and would not diminish the potential for use of the property for cultivation, grazing, or other compatible agricultural land uses. Therefore, the operation of a wireless telecommunications facility is considered consistent and harmonious with land uses allowed within the AL designation.
B. Zoning: The project site is located within an A-4 Agricultural Preserve Zoning District. Pursuant to County Code Section 84-42.404(14), the A-4 district allows commercial radio and television receiving and transmitting facilities, excluding broadcasting studios or business offices, upon the granting of a land use permit. This Land Use Permit is to allow for the continued operation of an existing, compliant facility that includes two 18-foot-tall, camouflaged tower structures and associated equipment within two separate lease areas totaling 1,740 square feet. The existing facility and associated ground-mounted equipment meet all of the development standards of the A-4 district. Therefore, the continued operation of this existing facility is consistent with the A-2 district.
C. Wireless Telecommunications Facilities Ordinance (Chapter 88-24): The subject wireless telecommunication facility was established under a Land Use Permit approved in 2016 (County File CDLP15-02043). Subsequent to the submittal of this application, the operating permit for the subject communications tower expired on July 29, 2026. Consequently, the applicant is seeking a Land Use permit authorizing the continued operation of the existing wireless telecommunication facility. As designed and conditioned, the existing facility will remain in compliance with the County’s Wireless Ordinance in terms of location, building standards, and operational requirements.
Pursuant to the location requirements of Section 88-24.406, collocation is encouraged, and no new tower can be located within 1,000 feet of an existing tower unless certain findings are made. A new facility must also not visually impact a scenic ridgeline unless the facility is required to close a significant gap in coverage.
The project site is located along Kirker Pass Road, which is designated as scenic route in the Conservation Open Space and Working Lands Element of the Contra Costa County 2045 General Plan. The General Plan also identifies scenic ridges within the open space lands north and south of Kirker Pass Road in the project area. Considering that the project involves a stealth facility, is not visible from Kirker Pass Road, and involves no modification to the existing facility, it would not have a detrimental effect on these nearby scenic resources, as the continued operation of the existing facility would not introduce any new visually obtrusive elements into the area. The facility’s existing lease areas, buildings and structures for this facility meet all of the development standards of the A-4 district. Therefore, the existing facility meets the location requirements of Section 88-24.406 of the Wireless Ordinance.
Pursuant to the design guidelines of Section 88-24.408(a), wireless facilities within unincorporated Contra Costa County must meet or exceed design requirements to reduce their visual and aesthetic impacts. These requirements include equipment with non-reflective finishes that are painted or textured to blend in with the predominant background. The existing stealth monoeucalyptus facility has been designed to blend in with the surrounding natural environment, consistent with design guidelines. Additionally, site is secured by perimeter fencing at least six feet in height with a locking gate, consistent with design standards for Towers specified in 88-24.408(e) of the County’s Wireless Ordinance. Thus, the renewal of the operating permit for the existing Verizon Wireless facility is consistent with all applicable design requirements.
D. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Compliance: The FCC has adopted radio frequency protection standards, which establish safety levels with respect to human exposure to radio frequency (RF) emissions. These standards are jointly published by the American National Standards Institute and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. The standards prescribe limits for continuous exposure to radio RF emissions. No modifications to the existing tower structure or the communications equipment thereon are proposed with this application. Thus, the existing facility would remain consistent with FCC RF emissions guidelines, based on a 2021 RF report by Telnet Inc., which included theoretical modeling of Radio Frequency (RF) emissions originating from the facility, to predict cumulative exposure from existing antennas at ground level. In the event that future alterations are proposed to this facility including the replacement of existing antennas or the addition of new antennas, the applicant will be required to provide an updated RF report and the results of field RF measurements demonstrating continued compliance with applicable FCC guidelines.
E. Appropriateness of Use: Wireless telecommunications facilities are conditionally permitted in the A-4, Agricultural Preserve zoning district in which the subject property is located. The existing facility was established on the subject property in 2015 and has been in operation since. The proposed project will allow for the continued operation of the existing Verizon facility and would not be to the detriment of established or future activities on or near the project site. Additionally, the provision of wireless telecommunications coverage provides a vital service to the area that benefits businesses, workers, and/or commuters in the area. Therefore, the project is an appropriate use of the subject property.
VIII. CONCLUSION
As discussed throughout this report, the Land Use Permit renewal for the existing Verizon wireless telecommunications facility is consistent with applicable provisions within the County General Plan, County Zoning Ordinance, and the County’s Wireless Telecommunications Facilities Ordinance. Therefore, staff recommends that the Zoning Administrator approve County File #CDLP26-02025 based on the attached findings and subject to the attached conditions of approval.
Attachments:
1. Findings and Conditions of Approval
2. Maps - Parcel Map, General Plan, Zoning, and Aerial View
3. Agency Comments
4. Project Plans