Agenda - Planning Commission - 01/08/2015

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Regular Planning Commission Meeting Date: 01/08/2015 By: Tim Gladhill, Community Development Title: Discuss Sign Standards for Highway 10 Corridor 5. 10. Information Purpose/Background: The purpose of this case is to provide broad policy direction on potential amendments to the City's sign regulations based on business community feedback and previous sign approvals. This is an introductory discussion topic at this point. No suggested amendments to City Code have been prepared at this time. Staff will provide visual examples to illustrate the discussion topics below as part of the presentation at the meeting. Notification: Notification is not required. Observations/Alternatives: As a matter of current policy, property owners are allowed to request a Conditional Use Permit to exceed the maximum standards for sign design that allows the City to review these larger signs on a case by case basis. Maximum Height of Permanent Signs Along Highway 10 The City currently limits maximum height of permanent signs to twenty-five (25) feet. As the City and its partners of MnDOT and Anoka County progress design of grade -separated interchanges along Highway 10, private commercial property owners have continually expressed a need for additional sign height along Highway 10. In response, the City created an overlay district modeled after a peer community in a similar situation allowing sign heights of fifty (50) feet in height. As Anoka County has progressed in final design, the City has received multiple inquiries of the possibility of sign heights of 75 feet. Inquiries have cited visibility and driver -decision points along Highway 10 as the reasoning for the desire for additional height. A good local example of standards limiting to fifty (50) feet in height is Main Street (CSAH 14) and Highway 65 in Blaine. A good local example of standards allowing height higher than fifty (50) feet in height is Highway 101 and 194 in Rogers. The City can exercise its legislative policy discretion to further amend City Code to allow for this height. Staff would recommend that signs of this height, if allowed, but required to provide for shared, or co -located signage to reduce the appearance of clutter at key nodes. Staff is seeking direction as to whether the Commission feels as though the requested sign height is an appropriate policy and design for the community. Temporary Signs The City allows temporary signs for a maximum of six (6) weeks per year per business. If there are no documented sign violations within a twelve (12) month period at the end of the six (6) week period, the business is allowed an additional four (4) weeks per year. Temporary signs are typically seen in several different forms: 1. Interchangeable letter/mobile 2. Banner