11-23-2005 Council Agenda - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

NORTHWEST ASSOCIATED CONSULTANTS, INC, 4800 Olson Memorial Highway, Suite 202, Golden Valley, MN 55422 Telephone: 763.231 .2555 Facsimile: 763.231.2561 planners @nacplanning.com MEMORANDUM TO: Mayor Blesener and Little Canada City Council FROM: Stephen Grittman DATE: November 16, 2005 RE: Little Canada — Sign Ordinance Moratorium FILE NO: 758.10 - 05.09 We continue to research the issues related to the billboard regulations cited in recent newspaper articles about the Cities of Hopkins and Eden Prairie. We have collected information from various communities' responses to this issue, as we have just received information from the law firm representing the City of Hopkins. In summary, that information includes a few suggested ordinance amendments, and the central issues that the billboard applicants are looking for. These include the following: 1. Content -based regulations. The applicants seek to have ordinances thrown out that create illegal distinctions based on the content of the sign (or sometimes the applicant's identity). 2. Commercial vs. non - commercial speech. Another content -based challenge that attacks an ordinance that treats commercial and non - commercial speech differently, especially in the same locations. The ordinance should have an express permission for non - commercial speech. 3. Severability. The applicants look for ordinances that would allow them to have the entire ordinance declared invalid (rather than just a small sub- section). This allows them to then work in an unregulated environment. 4. General size restrictions. One approach being taken is to ensure that the maximum size for ANY sign in the community is far less than the standard billboard size of 14' by 48'. 5. The signs proposed by the applicants in these cases are changing electronic signs, with messages that change every 6 to 10 seconds. This issue may also be addressed in the ordinance.