Agenda - Planning Commission - 10/04/2012

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Regular Planning Commission 6. 4. Meeting Date: 10/04/2012 By: Tim Gladhill, Community Development Information Title: PUBLIC HEARING: Consider Ordinance to Amend City Code Section 117-118 (The COR) Approving Amendment to The COR Design Framework Related to Off -Street Parking, Signs, Parks and Trails, and Sub -District Boundaries Background: This case relates to requested amendments to The COR Design Framework for the following topics: • Master Sign Plan and Private Signs • Parking Standards for Restaurants • Updated Development Plan and Sub -District Boundaries Notification: The Public Hearing was properly published in the Anoka County Union, the City's official newsletter for Public Hearings. Observations: Master Sign Plan The original version of the Design Framework included provisions for a Master Sign Plan. At that time, only locations of these larger community and development signs had been determined. The design and bulk of those signs had not yet been determined. This amendment now creates Appendix B of the Design Framework that includes these design factors. Community Signs are those signs that are generally located along Highway 10 and are intended to capture motorists attention into the development. Community Signs may include tenant panels for users within the development signs. Specific standards are included in Appendix B, attached hereto, and include the following: Sign Type Allowable Size Architecture Allowable Height Community Sign 300 Square Feet Per Appendix B 30 Feet * Gateway Sign 50 Square Feet Per Appendix B 10 Feet Retail Gateway Sign 150 Square Feet Per Appendix B 12 Feet Community Kiosk 32 Square Feet Per Appendix B 10 Feet* Parking Ramp Signage 100 Square Feet Per Appendix B (Wall Signage) Gateway Signs are generally located at key nodes and intersections of the development at Armstrong Boulevard, Bunker Lake Boulevard, and Ramsey Boulevard. General Gateway Signs may not include tenant panels. Retail Gateway Signs may include tentant panels. Community Kiosks are generally located in the center of the development with the highest emphasis on the pedestrian. As such, these are intended to be pedestrian scale and provide general information about the development and wayfinding information. The revised text also allows additional flexibility for Project (private signs) at shared entrances in the retail sub -district. City Staff recommends additional flexibility in size in order to allow users to consolidate signs at shared entrances, thereby potentially reducing the clutter of signs along Sunwood Drive in this retail area. The Master Sign Plan has the effect of being the Sign Code for The COR. As such amendments must be processed by Ordinance as any other type of Zoning Amendment would.