Title
PLN250245 - PEBBLE BEACH COMPANY (AT&T MOBILITY)
Public hearing to consider the installation of a wireless telecommunication facility on an existing 38-3-foot-high pole, consisting of two antennas and associated equipment, greater than the height allowed for the zoning district, within 750 feet of a known archaeological resource.
Project Location: PG&E right-of-way, adjacent to the property located at 3213 Ballantrae Lane, Pebble Beach, CA 93953 (Coordinates 36.569665° N, -121.965505° W)
Proposed CEQA action: Find the project Categorically Exempt pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15303, and there are no exceptions pursuant to Section 15300.2.
Report
RECOMMENDATIONS
It is recommended that the Zoning Administrator adopt a resolution to:
a. Find the project qualifies for a Class 3 Categorical Exemption from CEQA Guidelines Section 15303, and that none of the exceptions from Section 15300.2 apply to the project; and
b. Approve a Combined Development Permit consisting of a: 1) Coastal Development Permit and Design Approval to allow the installation of a wireless telecommunication facility on an existing 38-3-foot-high pole, consisting of two antennas and associated equipment; 2) Coastal Development Permit to exceed the required height of 30 feet established for the district and 3) Coastal Administrative Permit for development within 750 feet of an archaeological resource.
The attached draft resolution includes findings and evidence for consideration (Exhibit A). Staff recommends approval subject to 8 conditions of approval.
PROJECT INFORMATION
Agent: Justin Giarritta
Property Owner: PEBBLE BEACH COMPANY (AT&T MOBILITY)
APN: 008-471-023-000
Parcel Size: N/A
Zoning: N/A
Plan Area: Del Monte Forest Land Use Plan (Coastal Zone)
Flagged and Staked: N/A
Project Planner: Jordan Evans-Polockow, Assistant Planner
Evans-PolockowJ@countyofmonterey.gov , (831)755-7065
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
The project site is located within a utility easement on 17 Mile Drive (Coordinates 36.569665° N, -121.965505° W), adjacent to 3213 Ballantrae Lane, Pebble Beach, within the Del Monte Forest Area. The Applicant (AT&T Mobility) proposes to install a wireless telecommunication facility on an existing 38-3-foot-high pole, consisting of two antennas and associated equipment, greater than the height allowed for the zoning district, within 750 feet of a known archaeological resource. The existing utility pole is within an easement, owned and managed by Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E). PG&E submitted a letter to the County authorizing AT&T Mobility for the proposed development. This project does not include an increase in wastewater generation or installation, upgrade, or repairs to any onsite wastewater treatment system components.
Based on staff’s analysis, the proposed project is consistent with the policies and regulations pertaining to zoning uses and any other applicable provisions of the 1982 Monterey County General Plan (General Plan), Del Monte Forest Land Use Plan (DMF LUP), Del Monte Forest Coastal Implementation Plan (DMF CIP), and applicable sections of the Monterey County Coastal zoning ordinance (Title 20).
Site Location & Site Analysis. The development is proposed to be located within the existing utility easement owned by PG&E on 17-Mile Drive, which is a private road, owned and maintained by Pebble Beach Company. The General Plan does not specify a land use designation for privately or publicly owned roads; however, the County considers such land use as Public/Quasi Public use, serving the public at large. Accordingly, Title 20, section 20.40.050.S allows for WCF subject to a Coastal Development Permit in each case. Staff analyzed the proposed development for the best siting and location for the WCF. The proposed development would install a WCF on an existing utility pole to allow AT&T to provide maximum coverage to its customers. The Applicant provided Service Coverage Maps illustrating this area to have poor coverage, and the proposed WCF would provide a clear and consistent mobile service within the area (Exhibit C). According to those Service Maps, the proposed facility is necessary to close significant service coverage gap area along 17 Mile Drive.
Co-Location: Title 20 section 20.64.310 encourages co-location of wireless facilities when possible. Co-location opportunities were analyzed for the proposed project. There are no existing WCF that could be used for co-location and meet the coverage objectives identified in the plan provided. However, the proposed development would be installed to an existing PG&E utility pole. The project includes the installation of a WCF which includes two antennas, two radios, and associated equipment. The project includes a condition to encourage future co-location by other wireless carriers (Condition No. 6).
Design and Visual Resources. DMF LUP Figure 3 identifies this subject area to be within the 17-Mile Drive public viewshed and near a designated vista point. DMF LUP Policy 48 indicates that new development within visually prominent settings, as illustrated on the Del Monte Forest Visual Resources Map (Figure 3), shall be sited and designed in such a manner that will not take away the scenic value of the area. The installation of the WCF will consist of two antennas and associated equipment to match the existing colors and materials, rich dark brown wood, in order to blend with the surrounding vegetation. The height would not increase, as the WCF will be installed on the sides of the pole in order to not increase visibility and blend in more with its surrounding landscape. Consistent with DMF LUP Policy 53, the design of the proposed development will not detract from the public views and scenic values, including Ghost Tree and Pescadero Point also within a mile radius. The existing utility pole has a height of 38-3 feet and the WCF proposes the pole to remain the same height. Although this exceeds the maximum height allowed for PQP, Title 20 section 20.62.030 allows for towers, poles, water tanks and similar structures may be erected to a greater height than the limit established by the zoning district subject to a Coastal Development Permit.
The proposed development is consistent with the DMF LUP Policies 123 and 137 as the project will not block significant public views towards the ocean and will not adversely impact the public viewshed or scenic character in the project vicinity. The design and siting of the proposed wooden WCF does not increase the height of the existing wooden utility pole and would not significantly increase the visual impacts over the existing baseline (see Exhibit D). As proposed, the project would not result in any adverse visual impacts and is consistent with the applicable visual resource policies of the DMF LUP.
Radio Frequency. The applicant has submitted a Radio Frequency Emissions Compliance Report prepared by Waterford Consultants, evaluating the proposed WCF (Exhibit E). The report finds that the facility will comply with prevailing Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards for limiting public exposure to radio frequency energy. This finding is consistent with measurements of actual exposure conditions taken at other operating base stations. The site is adequate for the proposed development of the wireless communication facility and the applicant has demonstrated that it is the most adequate for the provision of services as required by the FCC.
Cultural Resources. According to Monterey County Geographic Information System (GIS) records identifies the subject property to be within a high archaeological sensitivity area and is within a potentially known archaeological resource area. Due to the AT&T’s development proposing to install the WCF equipment on a pre-existing wood pole, there will be minimum ground disturbance. Staff has deemed that an archaeological report is not required due to the recommendations of a previous Archaeological Cultural Resource Survey LIB160225 (APN: 008-471-028-000) from the adjacent parcel. It states that no surface evidence of potentially significant archaeological resources was discovered during their field survey. The archaeologist concluded that future proposed projects should not be delayed for archaeological reasons, and that potential future development could occur with the recommendation of archaeological construction monitoring to occur within future projects. An archaeological waiver was submitted to and approved by a designee of the Chief of Planning given that the proposed development does not involve land clearing and land disturbance, and no cultural resources were discovered in the initial installation of the original existing pole. There is no evidence that any cultural resources would be disturbed, and the potential for inadvertent impacts to cultural resources is limited due to the development being located on previous minimal ground disturbance to replace a pre-existing wood pole. Staff has deemed that an archaeological report is not required under the DMF CIP section 20.147.080.B.11. This will be controlled by application of the County’s standard project condition (Condition No. 3), which requires the contractor to stop work if previously unidentified resources are discovered during construction.
CEQA:
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15303 categorically exempts the construction of small facilities or new structures. The proposed project is to install a wireless telecommunication facility on an existing 38-3-foot-high pole, consisting of two antennas and associated equipment, greater than the height allowed for the zoning district, within 750 feet of a known archaeological resource. The project does not involve the removal of trees or major vegetation. There are no exceptions pursuant to Section 15300.2. No evidence of significant adverse environmental effects was identified during staff review of the development application. There is no cumulative impact without any prior successive projects of the same type in the same place, over time. There is no significant effect on the environment due to unusual circumstances. The site is not included on any list compiled pursuant to Section 65962.5 of the Government Code to be considered a hazardous waste site. Views from the 17-Mile Drive scenic corridor and designated vista points near the proposed development will not be significantly impacted because AT&T Mobility will be installing the proposed project on an existing utility pole.
LUAC:
The proposed project was referred to the Del Monte Forest Land Use Advisory Committee (LUAC) for review on September 18th, 2025. The LUAC voted unanimously to recommend approval of the project.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
The following agencies have reviewed the project, have comments, and/or have recommended conditions:
HCD-Engineering Services
Environmental Health Bureau
HCD-Environmental Services
Pebble Beach Community Services District
California Coastal Commission
Prepared by: Jordan Evans-Polockow, Assistant Planner, x7065
Reviewed and Approved by: Jacquelyn M. Nickerson, Principal Planner
The following attachments are on file with HCD:
Exhibit A - Draft Resolution including:
• Attachment 1 - Recommended Conditions of Approval
• Attachment 2 - Site Plans
Exhibit B - Vicinity Map
Exhibit C - Coverage Map
Exhibit D - Photo Simulations
Exhibit E - Radio Frequency Study
Exhibit F - Del Monte Forest LUAC Minutes
cc: Front Counter Copy; Pebble Beach Community Services District; HCD-Environmental Services; HCD-Engineering Services; Environmental Health Bureau; Jordan Evans-Polockow, Planner; Jacquelyn M. Nickerson, Principal Planner; PEBBLE BEACH COMPANY (AT&T MOBILITY), Property Owner; Justin Giarritta, Agent; The Open Monterey Project (Molly Erickson); Landwatch: Planning File PLN250245