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Planning Commission Regular Meeting Minutes April 18, 1995 Page 5 1 Commissioner Gondorchin indicated he was in favor of the variance request as it was within sign 2 surface regulation, the strict enforcement of the ordinance would cause a hardship as the plight 3 was not created by the land owner,these are unique circumstances to the individual, and it would 4 not alter the essential character of the locality. 5 Commissioner Faust indicated he had drove all ways around Autotraac and did not believe a sign 6 in this location would help traffic find the business. He felt it more appropriate to upgrade the 7 sign in the front of the building. He stated a wall sign was not the answer to the problem and 8 may even create a hazard to traffic traveling south on Silver Lake Road. He agreed the sign on 9 the front of the building was inadequate to identify the business and attract customers but 10 indicated he did not see the basis for hardship. 11 Chair Bergstrom agreed that being tucked back behind Berger Transfer and being located in the 12 middle of a block would cause an identifying problem for any business. He indicated a different 13 sign in the front of the building may help. 14 Commissioner Faust stated he did not believe a wall sign was the right approach and may be 15 more detrimental to the look of the building. WMr. Bulicz indicated his customers look for the sign on the top of the building and still drive 17 past. He indicated the color change of the building had helped but customers driving north on 18 Silver Lake Road still had no idea where the business was located. He asked if anyone present at 19 the meeting had difficulty locating Autotraac. 20 Commissioner Makowske stated he had difficulty finding Autotraac. He indicated before the 21 building had been painted blue, he assumed it was part of Berger Transfer. He indicated there 22 may be a hardship as according to the ordinance, light-industrial areas are allowed to have a wall 23 sign and a freestanding sign. Autotraac is unable to have a ground sign and would like to 24 continue to have as much signage as possible according to the ordinance. He stated this may be 25 one way to alleviate this problem. 26 Commissioner Horst indicated he agreed with Commissioner Gondorchin in regards to the 27 reasons they could and should grant the variance. He indicated signage is very important to 28 business and the business owner is the best to judge the solution to the problem. 29 Commissioner Faust confirmed that the area was zoned commercial and not light industrial. 30 Motion by Gondorchin, second by Bergstrom to recommend Council approval of the request for 31 a sign variance that would allow a second identifying commercial sign for Autotraac, 3009 - 37th 32 Avenue N.E. on the basis that it is within the sign surface regulation, the strict enforcement of the ordinance would cause a hardship as the plight was not created by the land owner, these are It unique circumstances to the individual, and it would not alter the essential character of the 35 locality.