Agenda - Planning Commission - 06/06/2000

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Public Hearing Acting Chairperson Nixt called the public hearing to order at 8:33 p.m. Presentation City Planner Rasmussen explained that on April 31, 2000, the City received an application from W.L. Johnson to exceed the sign size restrictions for the proposed Ramsey Towne Square commercial building in the B-1 Business District on Highway g47. City Code restricts the ground or freestanding sign size to 100 square feet (200 square feet aggregate surface area). Sign heights are restricted to 25 feet from grade to top of sign. W.L. Johnson is proposing a freestanding sign that includes a 210 square foot sign and a 40 square foot reader board, for a total of 250 square feet. The sign height is proposed to be 30 feet. The applicant is proposing a 17,000 square foot multi-tenant commercial building with approximately nine tenants, one that may be a potential franchise business. The applicant st,?, res the need for a sign that exceeds the sign size restrictions is to provide adequate signage for the nine tenants. Similar Conditional Use Permits were granted throughout the City. Rivers Ben~l has a permit for a 300 square foot sign, which is a commercial development across the street. Staff conducted a survey of other communities on their policy regarding signs. Elk River is on a case by case basis based on site plan proposals. For a commercial project of a similar size, their limit was 300 square feet. Roseville has a 150 square foot limit for a smaller strip mall. City Staff recommends approval of the request to exceed the sign size restriction. Upon inquiry, Ms. Frolik stated the sign across the street at Rivers Bend had a 30-foot height restriction at the time it was constructed and was granted a Conditional Use Permit for 300 square feet of advertising space. Acting Chairperson Nixt asked what square footage of Rivers Bend consisted of. Ms. Frolik responded that River's Bend is 25,000 square feet in size and they have a 300 square foot sign. Mr. Johnson's development would be 17,000 square feet in size and they are requesting a 250 square foot sign. Citizen Input Wayne Johnson, the applicant, stated their anchor tenant requested a separate pylon sign for his franchise business. He knew they could not receive this, as he had talked to Community Development Director Frolik months ago. In lieu of that, they are requesting a larger sign. They will have approximately nine or ten tenants and would like to be able to provide signage for most of them if they can. A 25 foot, 250 square foot sign is proportionate to the sign at Rivers Bend. Acting Chairperson Nixt noted that not one of the single marquees would exceed 100 square feet in area. He asked if Mr. Johnson would object to that being a condition of the permit. Planning Commission/May 2, 2000 Page 13 of 23