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Project Title: |
Continuing Operation of an Existing Verizon Wireless Telecommunications Facility |
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County File: |
#CDLP26-02024 |
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Applicant: |
Isabel Chavez - Network Connex for Verizon |
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Owner: |
United Sportsmen Inc. |
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Zoning/General Plan: |
General Agricultural District (A-2) / Agricultural Lands (AL) |
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Site Location: |
0 Evora Road (Evora Road at Willow Pass Road), Concord, CA 94520 (APN: 099-152-005) |
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California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Status: |
Categorical Exemption: Class I, CEQA Guidelines Section 15301(b). |
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Project Planner: |
Adrian Veliz, Senior Planner (925) 655-2879 Adrian.veliz@dcd.cccounty.us |
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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 #CDLP15-02020, which expired on October 16, 2025. 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 #CDLP26-02024, 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-2, General Agricultural 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) CDWM21-00022: A wireless minor alteration permit authorizing a non-substantial modification to equipment installed upon the existing Verizon wireless facility, approved by the Zoning Administrator on August 2, 2021.
2) CDWM17-00038: A wireless minor alteration permit authorizing a non-substantial modification to equipment installed upon the existing Verizon wireless facility, approved by the Zoning Administrator on November 30, 2017.
3) CDCV15-00111: A condition of approval (COA) compliance review application for the establishment of the Verizon Wireless facility, as previously entitled under CDLP15-02020. The COA compliance review application was approved administratively by CDD staff on February 4, 2016.
4) CDLP15-02020: A Land Use Permit authorizing the establishment of a new Verizon Wireless telecommunications facility on the subject property, at the site of a decommissioned Sprint-Nextel wireless telecommunications facility. The Land Use Permit was approved by the Zoning Administrator on October 5, 2015, for a 10-year period expiring October 16, 2025.
5) CDLP12-02058: A Land Use Permit to renew expired permit #CDLP00-02076 for the continued operation of an existing Sprint-Nextel Wireless facility. The Zoning Administrator approved the project on August 31, 2012, for an additional 10-year period expiring August 31, 2022. The Sprint-Nextel facility was subsequently decommissioned and replaced by the subject facility under separate entitlement (CDLP12-02058).
6) CDLP00-02076: A Land Use Permit to establish and operate a new Sprint-Nextel telecommunications facility on the subject property. The project was approved on March 12, 2001, with an expiration date of March 22, 2011.
Adjacent Wireless Facility: The below-listed entitlements pertain to a separate existing wireless telecommunications facility located on the same property, adjacent to the subject Verizon Wireless facility.
7) CDLP22-02070: A Land Use Permit renewal (to replace expiring permit #CDLP12-02135 for an existing Crown Castle wireless facility on the subject property. The Zoning Administrator approved the Land Use Permit renewal on May 15, 2023. The Crown Castle facility is presently utilized as a T-Mobile Wireless telecommunications facility and has an expiration date of May 26, 2033.
8) CDLP12-02135: A Land Use Permit renewal of Land Use Permit #CDLP96-02006. Subsequent to the original approval T-Mobile wireless acquired the facility and underlying entitlement. On February 20, 2013, the Zoning Administrator approved the continued use of the existing facility by T-Mobile wireless for an additional 10-year period expiring March 4, 2023.
9) CDLP96-02006: A Land Use Permit authorizing the establishment of a wireless facility operated by Pacific Bell Mobile Services, approved by the Zoning Administrator on July 22, 1996, for a 20-year period expiring August 1, 2016.
IV. SITE / AREA DESCRIPTION
The subject property consists of 3.5 acres of agricultural-zoned land located within the urban limit line (ULL) southeast of the intersection of Evora Road and Willow Pass Road in the northeastern Concord area of unincorporated Contra Costa County. The project site has an approximate 1,200-foot frontage width along Evora Road, and ranges between 50-to-200 feet in depth. The site is characterized by a persistent west-east slope, with site elevations ranging from 230-feet above sea level at westerly areas to 350 feet in easterly areas.
Evora Road and the ULL bound the project site to the north, while Willow Pass Road and State Route 4 (SR4) bound the site to the west and south respectively. Immediately west of the subject property a gas station and fast-food restaurant exist, amongst other commercial, retail and light industrial land uses authorized within the Willow Pass Business Park, an adjacent +66.5-acre commercial development. Other than the adjacent Business Park, there is no existing urban development of any significance within one mile of the site. Lands south of SR4 predominantly consist of the former Naval Weapons Station lands located within the City of Concord. Lands north of the site are outside of the ULL and predominantly consist of hillside grazing land owned by the Pacific Gas & Electric Company or the U.S. Government. Lastly, a public shooting range exists on +70 acres of nearby agricultural-zoned land on Evora Road, approximately ¼ mile northeast of the site.
V. PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The applicant requests approval of a Land Use Permit to allow the continuing operation of an existing Verizon Wireless telecommunications facility consisting of one 25-foot-tall monopole and ground-based equipment area within an approximately 900-square-foot lease area.
The existing facility consists of the following elements:
• One 25-foot-tall monopole with the following installed equipment:
o Six (6) Panel Antennas (three (3) per sectors B & C);
o Four (4) Verizon Wireless Radios (two (2) per sectors B & C);
o One (1) Verizon Wireless Raycap;
• Approximately 900-square-foot fenced lease area with equipment including:
o Two (2) Verizon Wireless Equipment cabinets;
o One (1) Verizon Wireless Raycap;
o One (1) Verizon Wireless Electrical Meter;
o One (1) Verizon Wireless Telco Box;
o One (1) Utility Frame with one (1) AAV box, one (1) electrical meter, one (1) PPC, one (1) telco box, and one (1) fire extinguisher;
o Solar (Photovoltaic) Canopy over +500 s.f. portion of Verizon lease area for backup power;
o One (1) Diesel Generator (secondary backup power source) on 10’ x 5’ slab
o Conduit, power cables, and fiber cables;
o Miscellaneous small electrical equipment, junction boxes, conduit, power cables, fiber cables.
No modifications of the wireless facility or its lease area are proposed with 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. On September 1, 2026, the Agency Comment request packet was forwarded to the Bay Point Municipal Advisory Council. Agency comments received by staff are included in Attachment 3. The following are summaries of the agency comments received.
A. Bay Point Municipal Advisory Council (MAC): The Bay Point MAC considered the project at their monthly meeting held on October 6, 2026. In a letter dated October 7, 2026, the MAC chair advised that their members expressed hope that the project may provide jobs for Bay Point residents.
B. 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 soils 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. 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-2 General Agricultural Zoning District. Pursuant to County Code Section 84-38.404(4), the A-2 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 a 25-foot-tall monopole structure and associated equipment within a +900-square-foot lease area. Lastly, the existing mono-tower and associated ground-mounted equipment meet all of the development standards of the A-2 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 2015 (County File CDLP15-02020). The operating permit for the subject communications tower expired prior to the submittal of this application. Pursuant to County Ordinance §88-24.620(a), a land use permit or other discretionary approval issued prior to the enactment of Chapter 88-24 may be renewed in accordance with the requirements in effect at the time the discretionary approval was issued, provided that an application for renewal is received at least 60 days before its expiration date (§88-24.620(b)(1)). The operating permit for the subject communications tower expired prior to the submittal of this application. Therefore, the proposed renewal will be processed under the County’s current Wireless Ordinance, Chapter 88-24 of the County Code.
The applicant is seeking a Land Use permit authorizing the continued operation of an 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 a northerly freeway embankment, sandwiched between State Route 4 (SR4) and Evora Road, both of which are designated as scenic routes 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 west of the project. Since the project does not propose 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. Additionally, there is a separate existing T-Mobile facility located on the same property and within 1,000 feet of the project. However, considering that the project does not propose a new cell tower, but rather, allows for the continued operation of an existing tower, the project does not conflict with this location standard. Section 88-24.406(d) requires telecommunications facilities to meet the setback requirements that apply in the zoning district where the facility is located. The facility’s existing lease areas, buildings and structures for this facility meet all of the development standards of the A-2 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. Expired Land Use Permit #CDLP15-02020, included Aesthetic conditions (#16-17) which are equivalent to these design standards. Additionally, the existing facility and lease area 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 expectedly 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-2, General Agricultural 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 continuing operation of the existing Verizon wireless telecommunications facility is consistent with 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 #CDLP26-02024 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