CC MINUTES 02261985 - Laserfiche WebLink

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-6- Fred Denn, the applicant, reiterated the statements made during the Commission hearing, that additional signage was needed to let his customers know the shop is located in the rear of that building, since, "anyone driving east on Kenzie Terrace can only see the wall sign by looking back after they have gone by". Mr. Denn said he feared the large companies like LaBelle's and Sound of Music for whom they make stereo installations, would become skeptical about his company and its loca- tion when their customers report back to them how hard it had been to find the Mobile Hi-Fi Sound Center. The shop proprietor stated he perceived his business could be interpreted to be a "service station" which are allowed a minimum amount of portable signage because they work on automobiles as well as sell car stereos and, Mr. Denn told the Council , he believes his business could be increased by more than 50% if he is allowed the additional identification. The Hi-Fi installer also said he perceived the shop's location could be intimidating to women who would hesitate to drive down an alley unless they were certain the shop was open. Mayor Sundland told Mr. Denn he had always recognized the need for business recog- nition but he would have a hard time interpreting this business as a "service station". The Mayor also told the petitioner he doubted that a sidewalk sign would do much to correct his identification problems. When Mr. Denn said he and his partners were considering putting a 4 X 8 foot plywood sign in the upholstery shop windown in the front of the building, Councilman Enrooth reminded him that the amount of signage he would be allowed would be governed by the size of his shop, under the Ordinance. Councilman Ranallo told the applicant the City certainly didn't want to see him go out of business and suggested Mr. Denn work with the City Manager and Mr. Hamer on signage which would fall within the Ordinance. • Mr. Denn responded by saying he understood the purpose of the Ordinance, saying "we certainly wouldn't want the City to look like New Hope". He said he lived in Minnetonka and the applicant indicated he had not been aware of the Sign Ordinance when he erected the wall sign, which he conceded was "too big". The petitioner - closed by saying he liked St. Anthony because it was "laid back, without much crime". Motion by Councilman Marks and seconded by Mayor Sundland to follow the recom- mendation of the Planning Commission to deny the request for a variance to the City Sign Ordinance for a 6 foot high by 3 foot wide "sandwich board" type of sign to be put out during the working hours of Mobile Hi-Fi Sound Center in front of the building at 2.550 Kenzie Terrace, finding, as did the Planning Commission, that: 1 . It is not the intent of variances to change ordinances for either a business or property to suit each applicant's physical situation-; 2. There was not sufficient hardship demonstrated in that there was already identifying signage on the building; and 3. To commence granting variances to permit free standing sandwich board signs is not an activity the Council or Commission wish to begin for the City. Motion carried unanimously. Commissioner Wagner indicated the major portion of the Commission's conversation about the requested preliminary platting and variances for the Johnson Manor pro- posal had centered about the use of the outlots in the project, one of which would be retained by Rick Johnson for his own use, and the other which the owner had indicated would be set aside for a community activity area for the proposed subdivision.