Title
PLN250237 - PEBBLE BEACH COMPANY (AT&T MOBILITY)
Public hearing to consider the removal of an existing 24-2-foot-high utility pole and installation of a wireless telecommunication facility consisting of a 31-7-foot-high pole with 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 3252 17 Mile Drive, Pebble Beach, CA 93953 (Coordinates 36.566834° N, -121.959752° 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 removal of an existing 24-2 foot high utility pole and installation of a wireless telecommunication facility consisting of a 31-7 foot high pole with two antennas and associated equipment, 2) Coastal Development Permit to exceed the 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: 008-462-006-000
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 36.566834° N, -121.959752° W), adjacent to 3252 17 Mile Drive, Pebble Beach, within the Del Monte Forest Area. The Applicant (AT&T Mobility) proposes to remove an existing 24-2-foot-high utility pole and install a wireless telecommunication facility (WCF) consisting of a 31-7-foot-high pole with 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 and 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. There is an existing utility pole, and the proposed development would replace this 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 in the same location where an existing PG&E utility pole is located. The project includes the removal of the existing 24-2 utility pole and install a 31-7 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 would include a pole that proposes to match the existing colors and materials, dark brown wood, blending with the surrounding Monterey Pine trees along 17 Mile Drive. The height would not significantly surpass the tree line in order to blend in more with its surrounding landscape. Consistent with DMF LUP Policy 53, the design of the proposed development would not detract from the public views and scenic values, including Ghost Tree as the closest location, along with Lone Cypress and Pescadero Point also within a half mile radius. The existing utility pole has a height of 24-2 feet and the WCF proposes to be at 31-7 feet in 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 the granting of 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 significantly 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. As proposed and designed, the development would blend with the surrounding environment, consistent with the DMF Visual Resource Policies.
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. A previous Archaeological Monitoring Letter (LIB170057) for the adjacent property concluded that a small portion of a known recorded site is on the adjacent property; however, through testing and field surveys, the potential concluded that there were no impacts to archaeological resources. 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 of previously disturbed land due to the replacement pole going in the exact same location as the existing pole, and no cultural resources were discovered in the initial installation of the original existing pole. Staff has deemed that an archaeological report is not required under the DMF CIP section 20.147.080.B.11. 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. 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 remove an existing 24-2-foot-high utility pole and install a wireless telecommunication facility consisting of a 31-7-foot-high pole with 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 where a utility pole currently exists.
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:
- Recommended Conditions of Approval
- 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 PLN250237