The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About2010-06-16 PACKET 06.A.REQUEST OF CITY COUNCIL ACTION COUNCIL AGENDA MEETING ITEM # DATE 6/16/10 PREPARED BY Community Development Howard Blin ORIGINATING DEPARTMENT STAFF AUTHOR COUNCIL ACTION REQUEST A. Hold the public hearing. B. Consider approving the following variances 1. A size variance to allow a 37.2 square foot dynamic readerboard sign, which is larger than 24 square foot maximum. 2. A size variance to allow a 200 square foot monument sign versus the required 50 square foot maximum. 3. A setback variance to allow a monument sign to be set back at 3 feet versus the required 10 -foot minimum. C. Consider directing the Planning Commission to review an amendment to the sign ordinance regarding dynamic sign and monument sign size for highway- oriented businesses. STAFF RECOMMENDATION A. Adopt the resolution approving the variances for signage at River Oaks Golf Course. B. Direct the Planning Commission to review an amendment to the sign ordinance. SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS ® MEMO /LETTER: Memo from John M. Burbank dated 6/8110 ® RESOLUTION: Draft ❑ ORDINANCE: ❑ ENGINEERING RECOMMENDATION: ❑ LEGAL RECOMMENDATION: ❑ OTHER: ADMINISTRATORS COMMENTS COUNCIL ACTION TAKEN: E� APPROVED ❑ DENIED ❑ OTHER 4 —m CITY OF COTTAGE GROVE MINNESOTA TO: Mayor and Members of the City Council Ryan Schroeder, City Administrator FROM: John M. Burbank, Senior Planner DATE: June 8, 2010 RE: River Oaks Sign Variance F97 *TPT* M. The City of Cottage Grove has made application for the following requests related to signage at the River Oaks Golf Course located at 11099 TH 61. 1. A size variance to allow a 37.2 square foot dynamic readerboard sign which is larger than 24 square foot maximum. 2. A size variance to allow a 200 square foot monument sign versus the required 50 square foot maximum. 3. A setback variance to allow a monument sign to be set back at 3 feet versus the required 10 -foot minimum. SITE Pjvw Oaks Honorable Mayor, City Council, and Ryan Schroeder River Oaks Sign Variance June 16, 2010 Page 2 of 6 Due to construction timing requirements and joint bidding opportunities with the Ice Arena signage, the public hearing for this application is being held at the June 16 City Council meeting instead of at the Planning Commission. Existing Signage Signage at the golf course currently consists of a rock structure with the River Oaks logo located along TH 61. The stone is from the same quarry as the Welcome to Cottage Grove and park and open space identification signs. The total square footage of this monument is approximately 75 square feet. The existing monument sign location is detailed below. This sign would be relo- cated on the golf course in conjunction with the new monument construction. The new sign is proposed in the same location. Proposed Monument Detail Honorable Mayor, City Council, and Ryan Schroeder River Oaks Sign Variance June 16, 2010 Page 3 of 6 The proximity of the current and proposed sign to the adjacent TH 61 drive lane is 53 feet. The speeds along this segment of the roadway are 65 miles per hour. • - ' ; The current ordinance regulations and the applicant's monument sign proposal are summarized below: A variance may be granted provided that all the following conditions are met: 1. The particular physical surroundings, shape or topographical conditions of the specific parcel of land involved cause a particular hardship to the owner, as distinguished from a mere inconvenience, if the strict letter of the regulations were to be carried out. 2. The conditions upon which a petition for a variation is based are unique to the parcel of land for which the variance is sought and not generally applicable to other property within the same zoning classification. 3. The alleged difficulty or hardship must be caused by the city ordinance and not by any person presently having an interest in the parcel of land. Current Ordinance Applicant's Proposal Setback 10 ft. from front property line 3 ft. from front property line Monument Sign 50 square feet 200 square feet Size Total Square Footage of all 100 square feet 200 square feet Signs Height 10 feet 10 feet Message Board 24 sq. ft. 37.2 sq. ft. Size Total Copy Size unspecified 48 sq. ft. Display Color Single color Single color Display Images Pictures, graphics, logos, and Text only symbols are prohibited Message Scrolling, motion, flashing, Fade at minimum Transitions animation, and video are display frequency prohibited Display Frequency Once every four hours i Once every four hours A variance may be granted provided that all the following conditions are met: 1. The particular physical surroundings, shape or topographical conditions of the specific parcel of land involved cause a particular hardship to the owner, as distinguished from a mere inconvenience, if the strict letter of the regulations were to be carried out. 2. The conditions upon which a petition for a variation is based are unique to the parcel of land for which the variance is sought and not generally applicable to other property within the same zoning classification. 3. The alleged difficulty or hardship must be caused by the city ordinance and not by any person presently having an interest in the parcel of land. Honorable Mayor, City Council, and Ryan Schroeder River Oaks Sign Variance June 16, 2010 Page 4 of 6 4. The granting of the variance will not be detrimental to the public welfare or injurious to other land or improvements in the neighborhood in which the parcel of land is located. 5. The proposed variance will not impair an adequate supply of light and air to adjacent properties, will not increase the congestion of the public streets, will not endanger the safety or will not diminish or impair property value within the neighborhood. .• r Monument Size The standards that are established for schools, churches, and government buildings are rather restrictive in that these uses are typically located in predominantly residential districts. While the golf course is located in a residential zoning district, it functions as a commercial use. The dy- namic sign size requirements are the same throughout the city, but the monument signage crite- ria for commercial is more lenient. A 20,000 square foot commercial building would be allowed a 20 -foot tall monument sign with a maximum copy area of 60 square feet. The total wall signage for the same site would allow for an additional 150 square feet of wall signage. Copy Size The reader board that would be allowed under ordinance would have the ability to have letters sized at 6, 9 and 12 inches. The larger the copy size equates to less words that can fit per line. General visibility guidelines: In a perfect scenario, standing still and viewing a sign with block lettering, red on white background, the following lettering sizes would typically be readable at the distances identified. 4" @ 100 feet 10" @ 250 feet 16" @ 350 feet At 60 miles per ourh and with 9" lettering, the sign should be generally legible from about 200 to 225 feet for approximately 2 to 2 -' /2 seconds from the sign. Given the adjacent highway speeds, it would be difficult to read a sign which complied with the ordinance requirements. The pro- posed readerboard would be the same size as the sign located at the entrance to East Ridge High School off Radio Drive. A scaled comparison of the permitted and requested reader boards on the corresponding monument signs is detailed below: Honorable Mayor, City Council, and Ryan Schroeder River Oaks Sign Variance June 16, 2010 Page 5 of 6 Sign Location The current location of the sign is 3 feet from the property line and over 50 feet from the nearest highway driving lane. The current sign location was established prior to the sign setback re- quirements being established. In reviewing potential alternative sign locations, it was found that the internal access drive lane and other sight line hindrances prohibit shifting the sign further from the property line. PERMITTED READER BOARD SIZE 157 54 FT MONUMENT Honorable Mayor, City Council, and Ryan Schroeder River Oaks Sign Variance June 16, 2010 Page 6 of 6 The findings identified indicate the ability to grant the requested variances. Based on the sign visibility standard information identified in this report, it is recommended that the City sign ordinance be reviewed in relation to dynamic sign size and monument sign size for highway- oriented businesses with direct access to Highway 61. That the City Council takes the following actions: A. Grant the following: 1. A size variance to allow a 37.2 square foot dynamic reader board sign, which is larger than 24 square foot maximum permitted by ordinance. Findings: • The location of the sign along a principal arterial with a posted speed limit of 65 MPH makes a sign in conformance with ordinance criteria ineffective. • The larger reader board sign will allow the sign copy message to be conveyed to drivers at the posted speed limit more efficiently. 2. A size variance to allow a 200 square foot monument sign versus the required 50 square foot maximum. Findings: • The location of the monument sign along a principal arterial with a posted speed limit of 65 MPH makes the sign ineffective at the current maximum size allowed. • The larger monument structure will allow the sign copy message to be conveyed to drivers doing the posted speed limit more efficiently. • The larger monument structure is required to house the larger reader board sign. 3. A setback variance to allow a monument sign to be set back at 3 feet versus the required 10 -foot minimum. Findings: • The current sign location was established prior the sign setback requirements being established. • The distance from the sign to the nearest highway driving lane is over 50 feet. • The internal access drive lane prohibits shifting the sign further from the property line. B. Direct the Planning Commission to review an amendment to the City sign ordinance in rela- tion to dynamic sign and monument sign size for highway- oriented businesses with direct access to TH 61. ►:. • !.• �• 1 1 MONUMENT SIGN, AND A VARIANCE TO SIGN SETBACK REQUIREMENTS AT .. OAKS • C 11 09 9 WHEREAS, the City of Cottage Grove applied for the following variances for signage at River Oaks Golf Course which is legally described as Outlot B, River Oaks 2nd Addition, Cottage Grove, Washington County, State of Minnesota, commonly known as 11099 TH 61: 1. A size variance to allow a 37.2 square foot dynamic readerboard sign, which is larger than 24 square foot maximum. 2. A size variance to allow a 200 square foot monument sign versus the required 50 square foot maximum. 3. A setback variance to allow a monument sign to be set back at 3 feet versus the required 10 -foot minimum. WHEREAS, public hearing notices were mailed to property owners within 500 feet of the property and a public hearing notice was published in the South Washington County Bulletin; and WHEREAS, the City Council held a public hearing on June 16, 2010; and WHEREAS, a planning staff report which detailed specific information about the property and the variance application was prepared and presented; and WHEREAS, the public hearing was open for public testimony. The applicant attended the public hearing. No other public testimony was received; and WHEREAS, the City Council reviewed the criteria and findings established by the Zoning Ordinance for granting a variance. A summary of this criteria is as follows: 1) It must be determined that there are unique conditions that apply to the structure or land in question that do not generally apply to other land or structures in the same district; 2) That granting a variance must not merely serve as a convenience to the applicant but must be necessary to alleviate a demonstrable hardship or difficulty from the City's ordinance; and 3) Granting the variance must not impair health, safety, comfort, or morals or in any respect, or be contrary to the intent of the Zoning Ordinance or the Comprehensive Plan. The City may impose conditions and safeguards in granting any variance. NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, the City Council of the City of Cottage Grove, Washington County, Minnesota, hereby grants the following variances for signage at River Oaks Golf Course, located on property legally described above, based on the findings of fact listed below: 1. A size variance to allow a 37.2 square foot dynamic reader board sign, which is larger than 24 square foot maximum permitted by ordinance. Resolution No. 2010 -XXX Page 2 of 2 Findings: • The location of the sign along a principal arterial with a posted speed limit of 65 MPH makes a sign in conformance with ordinance criteria ineffective. • The larger reader board sign will allow the sign copy message to be conveyed to drivers at the posted speed limit more efficiently. 2. A size variance to allow a 200 square foot monument sign versus the required 50 square foot maximum. Findings: • The location of the monument sign along a principal arterial with a posted speed limit of 65 MPH makes the sign ineffective at the current maximum size allowed. • The larger monument structure will allow the sign copy message to be conveyed to drivers doing the posted speed limit more efficiently. • The larger monument structure is required to house the larger reader board sign. 3. A setback variance to allow a monument sign to be set back at 3 feet versus the required 10 -foot minimum. Findings: • The current sign location was established prior the sign setback requirements being established. • The distance from the sign to the nearest highway driving lane is over 50 feet. • The internal access drive lane prohibits shifting the sign further from the property line. Passed this 16th day of June 2010. Myron Bailey, Mayor Attest: Caron Stransky, City Clerk