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Project Title: |
Land Use Permit for the Continuing Operation of an Existing T-Mobile Wireless Telecommunications Facility |
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County File: |
CDLP25-02031 |
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Applicant/Owner: |
Isabel Chavez, Network Connex on behalf of T-Mobile West LLC (Applicant) / Geoffrey Hodies Trust (Owner) |
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Zoning/General Plan: |
P-1 Planned Unit District / MUL Mixed-Use Low Density |
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Site Address/Location: |
435 Valley View Road in the El Sobrante area of unincorporated Contra Costa County (Assessor’s Parcel Number 425-251-002) |
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California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Status: |
Categorical Exemption - Class 1: CEQA Guidelines Section 15301(b), Existing Facility |
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Project Planner: |
Maria Lara-Lemus, Project Planner; (925) 655-2904 |
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maria.lara-lemus@dcd.cccounty.us |
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Staff Recommendation: |
Approve (See Section II for Full Recommendation) |
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I. PROJECT SUMMARY
The applicant requests approval of a Land Use Permit for the continuing operation of an existing T-Mobile wireless telecommunications facility that was established under Land Use Permit CDLP96-02009. No modifications of the wireless facility are proposed.
II. RECOMMENDATION
Department of Conservation and Development, Community Development Division (CDD) staff recommends that the County Zoning Administrator:
A. FIND that the project is categorically exempt from CEQA under Section 15301(b) of the CEQA Guidelines.
B. APPROVE Land Use Permit CDLP25-02031 for the continuing operation of the existing T-Mobile wireless telecommunications facility, based on the attached findings and subject to the attached conditions of approval.
C. DIRECT Staff to file a Notice of Exemption with the County Clerk
III. GENERAL INFORMATION
A. General Plan: MUL Mixed-Use Low Density.
B. Zoning: P-1 Planned Unit District.
C. California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA): Categorical Exemption - CEQA Guidelines, Section 15301(b), Existing Facility, Class 1 exemption for the operation of existing facilities used to provide public utility services.
D. Previous Applications:
1. CDLP96-02009: This Land Use Permit to establish a new unmanned wireless telecommunications facility for T-Mobile, on a private property, was approved by the Zoning Administrator on August 1, 1996, for a period of 20 years to August 1, 2016.
2. CDCV10-00014: This Compliance Review, which included a 5-year Condition of Approval compliance review in addition to a minor equipment upgrade of the wireless facility approved under CDLP96-02009, was administratively approved on May 10, 2010.
3. CDDP12-03012: This Development Plan Permit to modify the existing T-Mobile facility previously approved under CDLP96-02009, was approved by the Zoning Administrator on September 24, 2012, for a period of 10 years to September 24, 2022.
4. CDCV12-00109: This Compliance Review of the wireless telecommunications facility approved under CDDP12-03012 was administratively approved on June 3, 2013.
5. CDLP15-02052: This Land Use Permit/Development Plan combination to modify the existing T-Mobile facility previously approved under CDDP12-03012, was approved by the Zoning Administrator on April 1, 2016. For a period of 10 years to April 1, 2026
6. CDWM21-00050: This Wireless Minor Alteration Permit to allow a non-substantial modification of the existing T-Mobile wireless facility was approved by the Zoning Administrator on December 22, 2021, for the remaining term of CDLP15-02052 to April 1, 2026.
IV. SITE/ AREA DESCRIPTION
The project site is located north of Shirley Vista Street within a triangular block formed by Valley View Road, Sobrante Avenue, and Appian Way. The project site has been developed with one three-story commercial office building. The existing T-Mobile lease area and antennas are on the parapet of an existing three-story office building, and T-Mobile’s equipment area is located at ground level on the northern side of the building. One other wireless provider, AT&T, is currently operating a wireless telecommunications facility at the building; Both carriers’ lease areas are in close proximity to one another on the rooftop of the existing three-story office building. Access to T-Mobile’s lease area is provided from Valley View Road, and Sobrante Avenue on the south.
V. PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The applicant requests approval of a Land Use Permit to allow the continuing operation of the existing T-Mobile wireless telecommunications facility that was originally established under Land Use Permit CDLP96-02009 and was most recently operating under Land Use Permit CDLP15-02052, which expired on April 1, 2026. There are no facility or lease area modifications proposed with this application. The current wireless telecommunications facility consists of the following:
• Nine (9) antennas, six (6) radios, and ancillary equipment.
• T-Mobile equipment cabinets and associated ground-mounted equipment.
VI. AGENCY COMMENTS
An Agency Comment Request packet was sent on August 25, 2025, to a number of public agencies, including the Department of Conservation and Development Building Inspection Division, Contra Costa County Fire Protection District, West County Wastewater District, East Bay Municipal Utility District, El Sobrante Municipal Advisory Council, and the Contra Costa Mosquito and Vector Control District. Agency comments received by staff are included in Attachment D. Following are summaries of the agency comments received.
A. East Bay Municipal Utility District: On August 26, 2025, the Utility District submitted an email stating that the District had no comments.
B. West County Wastewater District: On September 8, 2025, the Wastewater District submitted a letter providing standard information for the applicant if they wish to obtain wastewater service.
C. El Sobrante Municipal Advisory Council (MAC): On September 22, 2025, the El Sobrante MAC submitted an email advising that the land use permit application was reviewed at its October 2025 meeting and the MAC had no objections or comments.
D. Contra Costa County Fire Protection District: The Fire Protection District returned the Agency Comment Request form on September 22, 2025, with no comments.
VII. STAFF ANALYSIS
A. General Plan Consistency: The T-Mobile wireless telecommunications facility is located within a MUL Mixed-Use Low Density General Plan land use designation, which allows for various housing types along with a wide range of neighborhood-serving retail, personal service, office, entertainment, and public uses. This designation is applied where a modest level of mixed-use development is appropriate, such as pedestrian-scale corridors, neighborhood nodes, and individual or small groups of parcels generally encompassing less than 1 acre. Pursuant to the Wireless Telecommunications Facilities Ordinance (Ordinance No. 2016-11), a wireless telecommunications facility may also be located in the MUL designation. The facility also provides telecommunications service that would be compatible and consistent with other land uses in the El Sobrante area. Allowing the continuing operation of the existing wireless telecommunications facility will not detract from the purpose and intent of the MUL General Plan designation.
B. Zoning Compliance: The facility is located in a P-1 Planned Unit District. Allowable uses in the P-1 District include communication towers and facilities with a valid land use permit (Downtown El Sobrante Planned Unit Development Land Use Matrix). With approval of the CDLP25-02031 application, the continuing operation of the existing T-Mobile wireless telecommunications facility, would be consistent with the P-1 District.
C. Wireless Telecommunications Facilities Ordinance: The T-Mobile wireless telecommunications facility is subject to the Wireless Telecommunication Facilities Ordinance (Ordinance No. 2016-11), which is codified as County Code Chapter 88-24. The Land Use Permit application is for the continuing operation of the existing wireless facility with no proposed modifications to the existing antennas, ancillary equipment, or to the ground-mounted equipment located within the existing 20’-0” by 19’-9” ground equipment enclosure. The application complies with the applicable requirements of County Code Section 88-24.614 for the discretionary approval of land use permit for a wireless facility.
D. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Regulations: The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has adopted radio frequency protection standards, which establish safety levels with respect to human exposure to radio frequency (RF) emissions. The standards prescribe limits for continuous exposure to RF emissions. As part of the submittal process, the applicant provided the Radio Frequency - Electromagnetic Energy (RF-EME) Compliance Report (Anchor) (EBI Consulting, October 25, 2021), which is a report to evaluate the RF emissions compared to the Maximum Permissible Exposure (MPE) limit for facilities at this location, pursuant to FCC regulations The RF report indicates that with the proposed signage mitigations implemented, the site will be in compliance with the current FCC occupational limit. Thus, the wireless facility would be compliant with federal regulations pertaining to RF emissions.
E. Appropriateness of Use: The existing wireless telecommunications facility has been established on the project site since 1996. Staff is unaware of any nuisances arising from the operation of the existing wireless facility. Neither the antennas nor ground-mounted equipment display any type of advertising, and the wireless facility complies with the paint reflectivity and other aesthetic requirements of the prior CDLP15-02052 Land Use Permit. Conditions are included in the Conditions of Approval and Advisory Notes that require that the facility, equipment shelter, external accessory equipment, and antenna enclosure shall not be used for advertising for the life of the project and require maintenance of the external appearance of the wireless facility. Thus, continuing operation of this wireless facility would not be detrimental to surrounding land-use activities, making the project an appropriate use of the subject property.
VIII. CONCLUSION
The continuing operation of the existing T-Mobile wireless telecommunications facility is consistent with the General Plan, the P-1 Planned Unit District, the Wireless Telecommunications Facilities Ordinance, and applicable FCC regulations. Staff recommends approval of Land Use Permit CDLP25-02031, based on the attached findings and subject to the attached conditions of approval.