HomeMy WebLinkAboutEx 9 MATS MATS BAY APPLICANT RESPONSE LETTER 4 17 26N orth
P. 0. Box 24 49
S n o h om ish , WA 98 29 1-2 4 4 9
P h o ne (4 25 ) 876-29 09
Fax (4 25) 377 -90 76
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April 17,2026
Greg Ballard
Jefferson County
Department of Community Development
621 Sheridan Street I Port Townsend, WA 98368
RE: Horizon Tower/Verizon Wireless - Mats Mats Bay WCF
ZON2025-00011
Request for response to comments
Thank you for the Request for Additional Information dated December 10, 2025, regarding the
above-referenced project. This letter summarizes the Applicant's review and response to public
and agency comments received to date.
The public comment record for this application is extensive and includes multiple submissions
provided over time. Many of the comments are repetitive or raise substantially similar issues. The
Applicant has reviewed all submitted comments and categorized them based on relevance to the
applicable decision criteria under the Jefferson County Code.
Comments were grouped based on their relationship to applicable Wireless Communication
Facility standards and Conditional Use Permit criteria. Comments raising similar issues were
consolidated due to redundancy. Comments relating solely to SEPA review, issues outside the
scope of the Type III CUP, including health effects, property values, and generalized opposition,
were reviewed but not identified as decision criteria under the applicable code.
This approach is intended to assist staff in preparing findings that are responsive to applicable
standards while maintaining a clear and focused administrative record.
The applicant identified nine issue categories that directly correspond to Type III review criteria:
1. Tower Location/ Setbacks
2. Compatibility I Conditional Use Criteria
3. Visual and Aesthetic Impacts (incl. photo simulations)
4. Alternative Site Analysis/ Collocation
5. Radio Frequency Compliance (FCC)
6. Noise I Operational Impacts
7. Wildlife/ Vegetation/ Tree Removal
8. Access and Site Design
9. Process/ Public Engagement
The following is a response to each of the relevant issues that received public comments for
ZON2025-00011:
1. Tower Location and Setbacks (JCC 18.42.090.1.d - Design Review Standards)
57262-83148 4928-8332-1250. I
J e ffe rs o n C o u n ty C o d e e s ta b lis h e s re q u ir e d se tb a c k s a n d d im e n s io n a l sta n d a rd s fo r d e v e lo p m e n t,
in c lu d in g w ir e le s s c o m m u n ic a tio n fa c ilitie s . T h e p ro p o s e d to w e r lo c a tio n is d e p ic te d o n th e
s u b m itt e d s ite p la n s a n d c o m p li e s w ith a ll a p p lic a b le s e tb a c k re q u ir e m e n ts . T h e fa c ili ty h a s b e e n
s ite d to m e e t o r e x c e e d re q u ir e d s e tb a c k s fr o m p ro p e rt y lin e s a n d s u rro u n d in g u s e s . W h ile
c o m m e n ts e x p r e s s c o n c e rn re g a rd in g p ro x im ity to n e a rb y re s id e n c e s , c o m p lia n c e w ith th e s e
o bje c tiv e sta n d a rd s e n s u r e s th a t th e fa c ility is a p p ro p r ia te ly lo c a te d c o n s is te n t w ith C o u n ty
re q u ir e m e n ts .
2 . C o m p a tib ility w ith S u r ro u n d in g U s e s (J C C 18 .4 0 .5 3 0 (1 )(a ))-A p p ro v a l C rite r ia fo r
C o n d itio n a l U s e s )
C o m m e n ts a s s e r t th a t th e p ro p o s e d fa c ility is in c o m p a tib le w ith s u rro u n d in g re s id e n tia l u s e s . T h e
p ro p o s e d m o n o p o le is a n a ll o w e d u s e s u bje c t to C o n d itio n a l U s e P e r m it a p p ro v a l. C o m p a tib ility
u n d e r th e c o d e is e v a lu a te d b a s e d o n c o m p lia n c e w ith a d o p te d d e v e lo p m e n t sta n d a rd s ra th e r th a n
s u bj e c tiv e p r e fe r e n c e s . T h e m o n o p o le is s lim p ro fi le , p a in te d n o n -re fl e c tiv e g ra y to m in im iz e
v is ib ility . T h e c o m p o u n d is s c r e e n e d w ith 6 ' c h a in -link fe n c in g a n d d a rk g re e n p r iv a c y s la ts , a n d
e x is tin g v e g e ta tio n w ill b e re ta in e d p ro v id in g n a tu r a l sc re e n in g . T h e a re a is ru ra l, w ith re s id e n tia l
a n d u n d e v e lo p e d p a r c e ls ; th e to w e r is s ite d to m a in ta in g e n e ro u s se tb a c k s a n d b le n d w ith th e
e x is tin g ta ll v e g e ta tio n . T h is is c o m p a tib le w ith th e ru ra l c h a ra c te r a n d u n o b tru s iv e in a p p e a ra n c e .
A c c o r d in g ly , th e p ro p o s a l s a tis fi e s th e c o m p a tib ility re q u ire m e n t o f J C C 18 .4 0 .5 3 0 (1 )(a ).
3 . V is u a l a n d A e s th e tic Im p a c ts (J C C 18 .4 2 .0 9 0 - D e s ig n R e v ie w S ta n d a rd s )
J e ffe r s o n C o u n ty C o d e e s ta b lis h e s d e s ig n sta n d a r d s in te n d e d to re d u c e v is u a l im p a c ts o f w ir e le s s
c o m m u n ic a tio n fa c ilitie s . T h e p ro p o s e d fa c ility c o n s is ts o f a s in g le m o n o p o le w ith a n o n -
re fl e c tiv e fi n is h a n d m in im a l p ro fi le . E x is tin g v e g e ta tio n a n d to p o g ra p h y p ro v id e v is u a l
b u ffe r in g . P h o to s im u la tio n s s u b m itte d w ith th e a p p lic a tio n w e re p re p a re d u s in g sta n d a rd
in d u s try m e th o d o lo g ie s a n d a c c u ra te ly d e p ic t th e p ro p o s e d fa c ility b a s e d o n h e ig h t, lo c a tio n , a n d
s u r ro u n d in g te rr a in . W h ile v is ib ility w ill v a ry d e p e n d in g o n v ie w p o in t a n d se a s o n a l c o n d itio n s ,
th e s u b m itt e d m a te r ia ls p ro v id e a re a s o n a b le re p r e s e n ta tio n o f e x p e c te d v is u a l c o n d itio n s . T h e
p ro p o s a l c o m p lie s w ith a p p lic a b le d e s ig n s ta n d a r d s re la te d to h e ig h t, se tb a c k s a n d sc r e e n in g .
4 . A lte rn a tiv e S ite A n a ly s is a n d C o ll o c a tio n (J C C 18 .4 2 .0 7 0 - C o ll o c a tio n P ro c e d u r e )
J e ffe r s o n C o u n ty C o d e e n c o u ra g e s th e u s e o f e x is tin g fa c ili tie s a n d re q u ir e s e v a lu a tio n o f
a lt e rn a tiv e s ite s w h e r e fe a s ib le . P u b lic c o m m e n ts id e n tifi e d a lte rn a tiv e lo c a tio n s a n d e x is tin g
fa c ilitie s a s p o te n tia l a lte rn a tiv e s . In re s p o n s e , th e A p p lic a n t h a s p re p a re d a s u p p le m e n ta l R F
e n g in e e r in g a n a ly s is (a tt a c h e d ) e v a lu a tin g b o th in te rn a ll y id e n tifi e d c a n d id a te lo c a tio n s a n d s ite s
id e n tifi e d in p u b lic c o m m e n t. T h e a n a ly s is c o n fi r m s th a t th e p ro p o s e d fa c ility is a c a p a c ity
( o ffl o a d ) s ite re q u ir e d to re lie v e c o n g e s tio n fr o m e x is tin g n e a rb y fa c ilitie s .
T h e a n a ly s is d e m o n s tra te s :
• T h e p ro p o s e d s ite p ro v id e s th e g re a te s t le v e l o f c a p a c ity o ffl o a d to th e e x is tin g
o v e rl o a d e d s e c to r s .
• A lte rn a te c a n d id a te lo c a tio n s (1 &2 ) e v a lu a te d b y th e A p p lic a n t p ro v id e le s s e ffe c tiv e
c a p a c ity re lie f d u e to th e ir lo c a tio n a n d d o n o t o ffl o a d th e c ritic a l se c to r to th e sa m e
e x te n t.
• A c o m m u n ity -id e n tifi e d w a te r ta nk lo c a tio n ( 4 ) p ro v id e s s u b s ta n tia lly le s s c a p a c ity re lie f
a n d d o e s n o t re s o lv e th e id e n tifi e d c a p a c ity c o n s tra in ts .
• A c o m m u n ity -id e n tifi e d e x is t in g to w e r lo c a tio n (5 ) is a lr e a d y o c c u p ie d b y V e riz o n a n d is
o n e o f th e s ite s e x p e r ie n c in g c a p a c ity lim ita tio n s ; th e re fo r e , it c a n n o t in d e p e n d e n tly
a d d r e s s th e n e e d .
T h e p ro p o s e d s ite is lo c a te d w ith in th e a re a n e c e s s a ry to e ffe c t iv e ly o ffl o a d e x is tin g n e tw o rk
d e m a n d a n d re p r e s e n ts th e m o s t e ffe c tiv e s o lu tio n c o n s is te n t w ith th e c o d e 's s it in g p r io r itie s .
5 . R a d io F r e q u e n c y C o m p lia n c e (F C C)
P u b lic c o m m e n ts ra is e d c o n c e rn s re g a r d in g p o te n tia l h e a lth e ffe c ts a s s o c ia te d w ith ra d io
fr e q u e n c y e m is s io n s . T h e p ro p o s e d fa c ility w ill c o m p ly w ith F e d e ra l C o m m u n ic a tio n s
C o m m is s io n (F C C ) R F e x p o s u r e sta n d a r d s . A ra d io fr e q u e n c y c o m p lia n c e re p o rt (N IE R r e p o rt ) if
57262-83148 4928-8332-1250. l
r e q u e s t e d , w ill b e p ro v id e d d e m o n s t ra t in g c o m p lia n c e . R e g u la t io n o f R F e m is s io n s is p r e e m p te d
b y fe d e ra l la w . L o c a l j u r is d ic t io n s m a y n o t re g u la te w ir e le s s fa c ilit ie s b a s e d o n R F e m is s io n s
w h e r e F C C c o m p lia n c e is d e m o n s t ra te d . C o m p lia n c e s a t is fi e s a ll a p p lic a b le re q u ir e m e n ts .
6 . N o is e (J C C 1 8 .4 2 .0 9 0 ( I )(g ) - D e s ig n R e v ie w S t a n d a r d s )
W ir e le s s c o m m u n ic a t io n fa c ilit ie s g e n e ra te m in im a l o p e ra t io n a l n o is e . A n y b a c k u p g e n e ra to r w ill
o p e ra te o n ly d u r in g e m e r g e n c y c o n d it io n s o r p e r io d ic te s t in g a n d w ill c o m p ly w it h a p p lic a b le
C o u n ty n o is e s t a n d a r d s a n d w it h W A C 1 7 3 -6 0 .
7 . W ild life , V e g e t a tio n , a n d T r e e R e m o v a l
C o m m e n t s r e la te d to w ild life , v e g e t a t io n , a n d e n v iro nm e n t a l im p a c ts a r e a d d r e s s e d th ro u g h th e
S E P A r e v ie w p ro c e s s . A n y tr e e r e m o v a l w ill b e lim it e d to th a t n e c e s s a r y fo r c o n s t ru c tio n a n d w ill
c o m p ly w it h a p p lic a b le C o u n t y r e q u ir e m e n t s .
8 . A c c e s s a n d S it e D e s ig n (J C C T it le 1 8 - D e v e lo p m e n t S t a n d a r d s a n d S it e P la n C o m p lia n c e )
A c c e s s to th e p ro p o s e d fa c ilit y is s h o w n o n th e s u b m itt e d s it e p la n s a n d is p ro v id e d v ia e x is tin g
a n d /o r im p ro v e d a c c e s s ro u t e s s u it a b le fo r m a in te n a n c e v e h ic le s . T h e fa c ility is u n m a n n e d a n d
r e q u ir e s o n ly p e r io d ic m a in t e n a n c e v is it s . S it e d e s ig n , in c lu d in g a c c e s s , e q u ip m e n t la y o u t, a n d
le a s e a r e a c o n fi g u ra t io n , is c o n s is t e n t w it h a p p lic a b le d e v e lo p m e n t sta n d a r d s a n d a s d e p ic te d o n
th e a p p ro v e d s it e p la n s .
9 . P ro c e s s a n d P u b lic C o m m e n t (J C C 1 8 .4 0 .2 1 0 - N o t ic e o f A p p lic a tio n )
N o t ic e fo r th e a p p lic a t io n w a s p ro v id e d in a c c o r d a n c e w it h J e ffe r s o n C o u n ty C o d e r e q u ir e m e n ts .
T h e A p p lic a n t h a s r e v ie w e d a ll s u b m itt e d c o m m e n t s a n d a p p r e c ia te s p u b lic p a rt ic ip a tio n in th e
p ro c e s s .
C o n c lu s io n :
T h e p ro p o s e d M a ts M a ts B a y W ir e le s s C o m m u n ic a t io n F a c ilit y c o m p lie s w it h a p p lic a b le
J e ffe r s o n C o u n ty C o d e r e q u ir e m e n t s a n d is n e c e s s a r y to a d d r e s s d o c u m e n te d n e tw o r k c a p a c ity
c o n s t ra in t s in th e s u r ro u n d in g a r e a .
T h e A p p lic a n t a p p r e c ia te s s t a ff s r e v ie w a n d c o n s id e ra t io n o f th is re s p o n s e .
S in c e r e ly , ijj /J0 dz__
Bill North
The North Group, Inc., on behalf of Horizon Tower and Verizon Wireless
57262-83148 4928-8332-1250. I
JEFFERSON COUNTY
DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
621 Sheridan Street I Port Townsend, WA 98368
360-379-4450 I email: dcd@co.jefferson.wa.us
www.co.jefferson.wa.us/commdevelopment
December 10, 2025
BILL NORTH
PO BOX 2449
SNOHOMISH, WA 98291
RE: SITEADDRESS: 41 FLEET DRIVE, PORT LUDLOW, WA 98365
CASE# ZON2025-00011
RE Request for additional information - Response to Public and Agency Comments on HORIZON CELL
TOWER
Dear Bill,
The Department of Community Development (DCD) is in the process of reviewing your application. The following
information is needed to continue review of your project. Attached is an Excel Spreadsheet with all the names
and contact information for agencies and public who commented on your application. Please review and verify
that you have received all of the comments. Then, please provide a response to each comment, or to each item
listed below:
Exact location of tower on 6 acre site; tower too close to homes; tower out of character with the surrounding
residential uses (conditional use criteria 18.40.530(1 )(a)); Impacts to property value; Visibility, Aesthetics; Impacts
to health (RF radiation, deflection technology); Process and Community Engagement; Vehicle access to tower;
Alternative site analysis; Number of antennas on tower; Noise from generator, fans, equipment, sound proofing);
Impacts to wildlife, birds (Fish & Wildlife best practices design standards); SEPA checklist questions (staff will
address in the SEPA Memo); Tree removal
We will have an opportunity to discuss your response once it's provide to DCD.
Please submit the above information to the Department of Community Development in writing within 90
days of the date of this letter or by March 11, 2026. Please call 360-379-4450 to speak with the assigned planner
if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
David Wayne Johnson, Associate Lead Planner
Department of Community Development Staff
CC: