03-23-11 Council Agenda - Laserfiche WebLink

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SUMMARY J. To allow variation from the provisions of this Ordinance including setbacks, height, lot area, width and depth, yards, etc. Consideration of whether a project is consistent with these objectives is based on a case -by -case judgment by City officials. The applicant has suggested that the center's unique siting and visibility issues have resulted in long term difficulties in maintaining tenants and keeping the retail spaces full. He has stated that the additional signage proposed for the freestanding structure along Rice Street will help provide individual tenant identification and resolve at least some of the visibility issues he currently faces. Moreover, the applicant had suggested that upgrades to the color scheme will be more consistent with the City's Architectural Guidelines by minimizing back- lighted white space on the sign. These conditions, according to the applicant's request, are intended to justify the large sign area. As noted, the City has a great degree of discretion in considering such PUD amendments. The zoning regulations are considered to be a guide in these applications, and may be applied or considered guidelines. The current sign greatly exceeds the individual sign area regulations, although it is consistent with the total amount of freestanding sign area allowed by the code. As also noted, the shopping center has additional allowable wall signage under the language of the regulations the issue relates to the code language relating specifically to freestanding signs. The Marketplace sign is already much larger than any other freestanding signs in the Rice Street corridor. Expanding the sign beyond its current 400 square feet is proposed by the applicant to be justified by tenant needs and design changes proposed to the sign itself. Because this is a PUD application, not a variance, the City has discretion to consider the amendment without concern over hardship tests that come up in variance applications. Due to the policy nature of this decision, planning staff has not made a specific recommendation on this application. pc: Kathy Glanzer Steve Westerhaus Robert Grootwassink 6440 Flying Cloud Drive, Suite 203, Eden Prairie, MN 55344 15