10-08-2015 Planning Comm. Minutes

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MINUTES PLANNING COMMISSION OCTOBER 8, 2015 With regard to the freestanding pylon sign, the Planner reported that the Code allows the subject property to have one freestanding sign. The proposed sign will be 18 feet in height with a 12 foot by 5 foot illuminated sign area at the top. The sign appears to meet the 5 foot setback requirement, and the 60 square foot sign area will meet Code as will the height. The Planner noted that the Code says that the maximum height of the sign cannot exceed the building height. With regard to changing the existing monument sign to a directional sign, the Planner noted that the Council has the authority to consider alternative directional signage. The existing monument sign is 8 square feet in size, and the Code allows up to 4 directional signs with a maximum of 4 square feet per sign. The applicant is asking that that directional signage allowed be aggregated into the single directional sign along Viking Drive. The Planner noted that the City has allowed similar requests in the past. He noted that access to the property from Viking Drive is a reasonable justification to approve the larger directional sign, with the understanding that overall directional signage would be capped at a level below the maximum allowed by Code. The Planner recommended approval of the Architectural Review for the relocation of the sign and for the aggregating of allowed directional signage to a single location as requested, provided directional signage is limited to 1 sign totaling 8 square feet. Duray asked about the sign base that exists along the Rice Street frontage. Kurt Kaiser, Planned Parenthood, indicated that they would let the sign base remain without building on it, or would remove it if so directed. Duray asked the reason for the change in signage. Kaiser noted that the original signage request was proposed by the developer of the property. Kaiser reported that the request for signage change is related to the change in ownership of the property. He indicated that the signage request as proposed works for Planned Parenthood. Kaiser indicated that while the wall signage works, Planned Parenthood would like visibility to Highway 36. Buesing asked the size of the sign based that is not being utilized. Duray suggested that it was 5 feet wide, 4 feet tall, and 2 feet in depth. Buesing felt that this base should be removed or screened to prevent future confusion about whether or not this is an approved sign location. The Planner indicated that that was an appropriate recommendation. Kaiser indicated that there preference would be to screen the sign base rather than remove it. 6