10/08/2008 P&Z Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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• AGENDA ITEM 6.B. STAFF ORIGINATOR: Paul Bengtson MEETING DATE: October 8, 2008 TOPIC: Town Center Signage Criteria BACKGROUND The Country Inn and Suites located within the Town Center project has reported that a great number of their patrons can not find the establishment because it lacks a sign on Town Center Parkway. As you recall, all single tenant buildings in the Town Center project were allowed only two wall signs to advertise their business. The developer of the building originally installed three signs on the Country Inn and Suites building and was instructed by staff to remove one in order to meet the signage criteria of the Town Center Design and Development Standards. After many months of operation, they have approached the city with a request to allow a third wall sign for single tenant buildings. ANALYSIS The sign ordinance adopted by the City of Lino Lakes allows a normal business to have up to two wall signs, ,and free standing signage based on the amount of frontage the property has. However, within the Town Center project the Town Center Design and Development Standards are enforced, and the Signage Criteria within the TCDDS only allows free standing signage for buildings in the Civic district (City Hall, YMCA). As such, all single tenant buildings which are located in the Commercial or Mixed -Use districts of Town Center, like the Country Inn and Suites, are only allowed their two wall signs and therefore have significantly less signage than would be allowed if they were located elsewhere in the city. This disparity was meant to be covered by master development signage that would potentially advertise the larger businesses, like the Country Inn and Suites, but the master developer for the site has stalled out any construction activities and the disparity in signage is affecting the hotel's ability to generate customer satisfaction and repeat business. While staff opposes free standing signage that could impede the streetscape and destroy the character that is meant to be created within the Town Center, we recognize the negative impacts that the hotel is experiencing because of a lack of proper identification from the street. Therefore, staff is seeking the board's opinion on the allowance of additional wall signage within the Town Center area. •