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Planning Commission Regular Meeting Minutes • December 16, 1997 Page 4 1 Commissioner Franzese stated she was glad that this proposal would keep the whole area 2 residential. She was pleased that the proposal would not add a lot of traffic to the area. 3 Motion by Commissioner Horst, seconded by Commissioner Franzese, to recommend approval 4 of the rezoning of 3261 Old Highway 8 from a Light Industrial zoning designation to an R-4 5 zoning designation. 6 7 Commissioner Franzese suggested the motion be amended to include "no one appeared to 8 speak against the request". Commissioner Horst accepted the amendment to the motion. 9 Motion carried unanimously: 10 Chair Bergstrom noted this request will be considered by the City Council at their January 13, 11 1998 meeting. 12 C. Sign Variance Request. 13 Chair Bergstrom opened the public hearing at 7:20 P.M. 14 Ms. Moore-Sykes reported that City Staff received a request for two variances to the Sign Ordinance from Jim Sarna, owner of the Stop `N Go service station, located at 2400 - 37th Avenue N.E. The first variance is to be allowed to install two monument signs on the 17 property and the second variance request is regarding the size of the monument signs. 18 Mr. Sarna is proposing to remove a pylon sign which currently exists on the property and 19 replace it with two monument signs. He would like to place a 7 foot by 10 foot double-sided 20 monument sign at the corner of Stinson Boulevard and 37th Avenue N.E. and a 6 foot by 8 21 foot double-sided monument sign at the curb cut on Stinson Boulevard. The surface area of 22 the proposed larger monument sign is 140 square feet and the surface area of the proposed 23 smaller monument sign is 96 square feet. Mr. Sama's sign proposal also includes increased 24 landscaping and shrubbery. 25 Section 1400.10 Ground Signs., Subd. 5, Design and Location., (4) states that the principal 26 structure of a parcel of land will be allowed one ground sign, regardless of the number of 27 tenants in the structure. Mr. Sarna is asking for the second sign because his business is on a 28 busy 4-way comer, where Minneapolis, Columbia Heights and St. Anthony converge. He also 29 wants to remove the pylon sign, which he feels is too much for that comer and is not seen as 30 a result. He is proposing to replace the pylon sign with a monument sign, which he feels is 31 less obtrusive visually. At night, the light from this sign will be closer to the ground and 32 therefore not offensive to the surrounding residential properties. The smaller monument sign 33 will be placed by the driveway on 37th Avenue and is intended to be more directional in 34 nature. WSubd. 3 of the same Section states that signs having two or more copy surfaces may have up 36 to 68 square feet for all surfaces. Mr. Sama is asking for a 72 square foot variance for the 37 larger sign, which is 140 square feet and a 28 square foot variance for the smaller sign, which