02-12-09 Planning Comm. Agenda - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES CITY COUNCIL JANUARY 28, 2009 MIDWEST GYMNASTICS- DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT The City Administrator reported that Midwest Gymnastics has requested that the City release its $25,000 letter of credit that was submitted to guarantee compliance with the development agreement associated with the renovation of the former Knox building on Country Drive. The owners are trying to obtain additional financing on the property, and the letter of credit is complicating the matter. The Administrator reported that significant improvements have been made to building and property; and, upon inspection there are only some minor items that need to be addressed. The Administrator indicated that another issue is the height of the existing pylon. Under the development agreement, the property owners are required to lower the sign by 12 feet to bring it into compliance with the code. The Administrator stated that the property owners have indicated that it will cost approximately $12,000 to lower the pylon. The Administrator reported that in looking at the sign, he was not sure that the height reduction will make the sign less obtrusive nor justify the expense needed to achieve compliance. The Administrator indicated that if the Council agrees, perhaps there is a way to allow the pylon to remain at its existing height, i.e. creation of new zoning regulations for commercial properties within a certain distance from the freeway. The City Planner indicated that the ordinance could be amended to create a district within a certain distance of the freeway that provides a pylon height bonus. Another option would be to amendment the PUD Agreement to allow the sign to remain at its existing height. The Administrator noted the freeway height relative to this particular property, which is at a much lower elevation. Blesener suggested that given the current economy, it is difficult to require the property owner to spend $12,000 to lower the sign height. Keis questioned the need for creating a special zoning district, and suggested that the PUD Agreement could be modified to delay the lowering of the pylon sign until such time as major would be done at the property. He did not feel the sign height was a big problem at this point, and suggested that the issue could be revisited in the future. McGraw noted that the property owner has been very cooperative in getting the property cleaned up and the building rehabilitated. He indicated that the pylon sign does not stand out as a problem. It was the consensus of the Council that the letter of credit can be released and the PUD Agreement amended to allow the pylon to remain at its current height until such time as major work is done at this property.