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Item No: 6A Meeting Date: Dec 19, 2007 Type of Business: Commission Business City of Mounds View Staff Report To: Mounds View Planning Commission From: James Ericson, Community Development Director Item Title/Subject: Review Ordinance 801, an Ordinance Amending Chapter 1008 Regarding Requirements for Signs and Billboards Introduction: The City Council adopted Ordinance 784 on February 12, 2007 which authorized a one-year moratorium on the installation, creation, construction, replacement, modification or improvement of static or changing electronic, digital, video, display signs or billboards and flashing motion, animated, changeable copy and illuminated signs in all zoning districts. This moratorium will expire on February 12, 2008. Discussion: The City Attorney has reviewed all relevant studies and research regarding the impacts and safety consequences of dynamic signs and has prepared an ordinance which will amend Chapter 1008 to define “Dynamic Display” and to clarify that no further interim use permits will be issued for any new or presently existing billboards in the City of Mounds View. The ordinance will also clarify that dynamic display signs, as defined, and billboards in general, would be prohibited in the City. The moratorium indicates that the Planning Commission will review any studies or actions relating to the billboard and signage issue. Attached to this report, in addition to the ordinance prepared by the City Attorney, are studies and research from both perspectives of the discussion, some of which highlight the inherent risks associated with dynamic display signs while other studies discount any safety concerns. Staff, the City Attorney and the City Council believe that the best course of action relating to the soon-to-expire moratorium is to define the type of signage in question and to adopt language which prohibits such signage. While this action would admittedly cause all the existing dynamic displays signs to become non-conforming, not taking such action would potentially leave the door open for dynamic display boards to be erected. The City feels confident that it can progress with a supplemental ordinance to address the non-conforming dynamic display signs early in 2008. Recommendation: Review the materials provided by the City Attorney and Ordinance 801 which amends Chapter 1008 regarding requirements for signs and billboards. As recommended by the City Attorney, Staff suggests that the Commission approve Resolution 881-07 which recommends approval of Ordinance 801. Respectfully submitted, ________________________ James Ericson Community Development Director