05-12-11-Planning Comm. Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

MINUTES PLANNING COMMISSION MAY 12, 2011 Knudsen asked if there was any precedent in this regard. The City Planner reported that a number of years ago MN DOT took additional right -of- way, and the City granted a variance due to this same condition. Pechmann felt there were extenuating circumstances to warrant the granting of this variance. He noted that most of the businesses at The Village are ones that someone would be coming to one time, would not be familiar with the location; therefore, visible signage is important. Knudsen noted that the new standards give the City more flexibility in granting variances, and agreed that there were practical difficulties in putting the sign in another location. Duray noted that signage is very important to the tenants of this building. Fischer stated that his primary concern was with public safety, and noted that the proposed signage location would not hamper visibility. He agreed that the new law gave the City flexibility. Barraclough recommended approval of the Variance from the setback requirements allowing a monument sign at The Village, 125 Little Canada Road to within 6 inches of the Rice Street right-of-way as requested based on the following findings: • The proposed sign meets all other requirements of the Little Canada Zoning Ordinance; • The proposed sign supports the intent of the Comprehensive Plan, which is to promote commercial land uses on this parcel; • The proposed sign has previously been approved as a part of a comprehensive Sign Plan approval, subject to verification of setback; • The proposed setback, at the time of the original site plan approval, appeared to result in a setback of approximately 10 feet from the right of way, as then configured; • The action of Ramsey County, at the time of requested plat approval, resulted in a loss of 10 feet of private property, leaving the sign just 6 inches from the revised right of way line; • Even with the loss of right of way, the sign is approximately 10 feet from the public sidewalk, providing an area of lawn and landscaping; • Relocation of the sign in this space is not practical due to the maintenance of access sidewalk to entrances along the west wall of the building; • Reorientation of the sign to be parallel to the building and street could meet the setback, but would not be visible to the sign's intended audience — the traffic along Rice Street; • The location of the proposed sign, and its design, are a part of using the subject property in a reasonable manner; -5-