Agenda - Planning Commission - 05/02/2000

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CASE # REQUEST FOR A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT TO EXCEED SIGN SIZE RESTRICTIONS; CASE OF W.L. JOHNSON/RAMSEY TOWNE SQUARE By: Anita Rasmussen, City Planner Background: 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'I Business District on Highway #47. The following items are enclosed for your information: a) Site location map b) Sign plan c) Proposed findings of fact d) Proposed conditional use permit 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 500 feet of the subject property. Observations: In the commercial and industrial districts, the 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 160 square foot sign and a 40 square foot reader board, for a total of 200 square feet. The sign height is proposed to be 25 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 states the need for a sign that exceeds the sign size restrictions is to provide adequate signage for the nine tenants. In a similar case, the Ampride station at Sunfish Lake Blvd. and Hwy. #10 had a 104 square foot business identification or logo sign. They requested a conditional use permit to add a 21 square foot reader board to the pylon. The Planning Commission and City Council granted them a 25 square foot overage in the sign size restrictions to facilitate the addition of the reader board to their pylon sign. The Planning Commission and City Council also granted Burger King a similar conditional use permit to construct a franchise sign along Highway 10. River Bend Plaza received a permit for a 300 square foot sign to facilitate their tenants. Recommendation: The 100 square feet sign space per parcel may be inadequate for strip malls or multi-tenant buildings. City Staff recommends approval of the request to exceed the sign size restriction. This results in a total sign space of 200 square feet.