PL MINUTES 01191982 (02) - Laserfiche WebLink

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-6- amended to permit auctions as a conditional use; Ramsey County ' s January 15th response to staff inquiries as, to their plans for the easement dedicated -to them on the St. Anthony Court property; and • election of the Chairman Pro Tem. Motion carried unanimously . The meeting was recessed at 10 : 10 P.M. and reconvened at 10 :20 P.M. to consider the request for a free-standing sign for the Apache Medical Center at 4001 Stinson Boulevard. Robert Conley, agent for the medical center, was present to discuss the request for a 9 foot sign with 8 feet -of message .for which Council approval is required by ordinance . Mr. Conley saidthe drawing of the sign attached to the site plan was not entirely accurate since a major portion will be devoted to listing the kinds of services available in the center rather than to the center name itself. He explained that the signage on the exterior of' the building identifying two retail establishments had been grandfathered in when the building was constructed and he wishes to forestall any requests for signage of this type with the sign. In his January 15th memo, Mr. Berg had advised the City Attorney had concluded the complex fits within the City Ordinance definition of a shopping center and the same signage could be allowed. Mr. Bjork- lund disagreed with that interpretation saying he doesn' t see the building as constituting a shopping center. He reminded the Commis- sion that the "stilt building" in the same .area had been refused • similar signage. When Mr. Berg said Mr. Conley ' s application for a varianceto the Sign Ordinance had been returned to him, Mr. Bjorklund said he would be willing to recommend approval of such a variance if it is resubmitted for this "major piece of property which is unique because of its size" . The Chairman said he sees no other option than for the Commission to accept the City Attorney ' s interpretation that the medical center meets the definition of a shopping center as "a group or groups of three or more retail or service establishments within a close proximity to each other, comprising 10 ,000 or more square feet of floor area. . . " and to recommend the same signage be permitted the center as is currently allowed other shopping centers in the City. Mrs. Makowske was concerned that the major purpose of the sign is to identify services within the center rather than the center itself and offered the following: Motion by Mrs . Makowske and seconded by Mr. Bjorklund to recommend Council not approve the sign presented in Exhibit D which identifies the services offered in. the Apache Medical Center because nowhere else in the City are signs permitted where identification of the tenants is the majority usage of the signage. However, the Commission could recommend approval if the majority of the sign identified the center rather than the services offered , (as is the case of signage for other shopping centers in the City) , as long as the sign permitted • is monument type and ground hugging.