Agenda - Planning Commission - 09/16/2010 - Special Meeting

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CASE # 3 Public Hearing REQUEST FOR AN INTERIM USE PERMIT TO EXCEED SIGN RESTRICTIONS ON A PROPERTY LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 2,600 FEET EAST OF ARMSTRONG BLVD ON HIGHWAY 10 NW; CASE OF CITY OF RAMSEY BRA. By: Chris Anderson, Environmental Coordinator - Background: The City received an application from the City's Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA) for an Interim Use Permit (1UP) to deviate from the location and size requirements of permanent signs. The HRA would like to install a pylon style ground sign with signage identifying The COR and various tenants as well as an electronic message center that could be used to promote various community events. In accordance with City Code, all variations to the sign regulations are to be processed with the conditional use permit application; however, to remain consistent with the two other proposals and considering the potential amendments to the sign regulations, both within The COR and in general, in the future, the IUP process was utilized instead. Notification: State statute requires notification of the public hearing to property owners within 350 feet of the subject property. Staff attempted to notify property owners within 350 feet of the subject property. Observations: The subject property has a storm water pond on site but is otherwise a vacant parcel owned by the City of Ramsey. The site is across the railroad tracks from and directly south of the Municipal Center. The HRA would like to install a large, pylon -style ground sign primarily to support The COR and its tenants and to help guide visitors to the development area. The subject property is zoned H-1 Highway Business District. Within this zoning district, the gross surface area of ground signs is restricted to 100 square feet for each exposed face and shall not exceed an aggregate gross surface area of 200 square feet. Ground signs are limited to one per parcel or per street frontage for parcels with multiple frontages and cannot exceed twenty-five (25) feet in height. Also, billboards, which are defined in City Code as "a sign which directs attention to business, commodity, service, entertainment, or attraction sold, offered or existing elsewhere than upon the same lot or parcel where such sign is displayed", are listed as a prohibited sign type in City Code Section 117-464 (Prohibited signs). The proposed, sign would be thirty (30) feet in height and has 235 square feet of signage per face (aggregate total of 470 square feet), including a thirty-three (33) square foot electronic message center. If approved, the sign would exceed the height restriction by five (5) feet and the square footage restriction by 135 feet per sign face. The sign base would be aesthetically similar to the exterior of the Municipal Center, including a brick base, and would be internally lit. This sign would direct attention to business and/or attractions offered off -site and thus would be considered a billboard by definition. 33