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STAFF REPORT <br /> DATE: April 18, 1995 <br /> TO: Planning Commission <br /> FROM: Kim Moore-Sykes, Management Assistant <br /> ITEM: PETITION FOR A SIGN VARIANCE FOR A <br /> SECOND IDENTIFYING COMMERCIAL SIGN -- <br /> AUTOTRAAC, 3009 - 37TH AVENUE NE <br /> BACKGROUND <br /> The owner, John Bulicz has submitted a petition for a sign variance requesting that he be <br /> allowed to have a second identification sign on a commercial building having only one <br /> right-of-way frontage. He is requesting an additional sign because his current sign is not <br /> readily noticeable to anyone looking for his business. The linear frontage allowed for <br /> signage.by the sign ordinance has the current Autotraac sign facing south and is clearly <br /> visible to the residential area directly across the street. He is unable to install a ground <br /> sign on the site because Ramsey County widened 37th Avenue at that point to <br /> accommodate a right turn lane onto Silver Lake Road. This eliminated the space he would <br /> • have had available for a ground sign. Had the owner been able to install a ground sign, the <br /> identification sign would be visible from both directions along 37th Avenue and possibly at <br /> the intersection of Silver Lake Road and 37th Avenue. <br /> Mr. Bulicz is asking to be allowed to paint an identifying wall sign on the west side of the <br /> building. The proposed sign, which would be 13 feet by 5 feet or 65 square feet, is within <br /> the specifications of the sign ordinance regulating the size of wall signs. The proposed wall <br /> sign is 8% of the wall surface and the sign ordinance limits a wall sign to not more than <br /> 15%% of the wall surface. This proposed identifying signage would be visible from the west- <br /> bound and the north-bound roadways. <br /> RECOMMENDATION <br /> Staff recommends the approval of the request for a sign variance that would allow a second <br /> identifying commercial sign for Autotraac. The hardships that are addressed by this <br /> variance request are: <br /> • Unable to install a ground sign due to the construction of a right turn lane <br /> for Silver Lake Road by Ramsey County; and <br /> • the current sign is ineffective in providing a reasonable and equitable <br /> opportunity for identification of the business. <br /> • <br />