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City Council Regular Meeting Minutes November 14, 2006 Page 13 1 Mayor Faust stated he learned that once a City starts cooping an ordinance a crack develops. He 2 stated this is not against any gas station or owner or how good a neighbor a station has been; the 3 validity of a business could not enter into the equation. Mayor Faust stated Council must decide 4 based on what is best for the community. 5 6 Councilmember Thuesen stated he voted yes the first time and would vote yes again. He 7 explained he recently traveled between Winona and the Twin Cities noticing electronic signs 8 along the way. He stated he believes electronic signs are much neater and more attractive and if 9 this were to pass, the wording could be made tight enough to allow only gas prices and no other 10 advertising. He stated for the final reading he would like to see a discussion on lighting color 11 and on the legal issues. Councilmember Thuesen stressed there is a difference between allowing 12 a gas station to advertise the price of gas and advertising food products at Wal-Mart. 13 14 Councilmember Stille stated he also voted yes last time to progress this issue forward. He 15 explained he also wanted more information and input and an opportunity to discuss it privately. 16 He stated he wanted to hear what Staff had to say and wanted to know if there were safety issues 17 in the other communities interviewed. Councilmember Stille reported he spent a great deal of 18 time making sure electronic signs would not be allowed along Silver Lake Road. He reiterated 19 signs have been important to the community for a long time. Councilmember Stille reported he 20 had not heard from any independent source that this is a safety issue. He stated he must make his 21 decision based on what is best for the community and at this time, he is not inclined to support 22 the change to the ordinance. 23 24 Councilmember Horst stated when he first moved to the Twin Cities, he lived in Maple Grove 25 where the most restrictive sign ordinances exits. He stated Planning Commissions and City 26 Councils go a bit nutsie when they start protecting the public's right to see certain things. He 27 stated Council must remember businesses are also an important part of the community. He 28 stressed this is not something that would make or break the community. He stated nobody would 29 be concerned with this. He stressed Council must be business friendly and the safety issue is real 30 for gas stations. He stressed this is more than a convenience and he is talking about gas stations 31 and not other businesses. 32 33 Mayor Faust commented he took exception to the statement about a business friendly community 34 and St. Anthony is business friendly. He sited Mr. Pratt and owners of Lowry Grove as 35 examples. He submitted that most people would like a city that looks more like Maple Grove 36 than Columbia Heights. He stated there is a level playing field, as St. Anthony does not capture 37 people coming off the interstate to purchase fuel. He stated the level playing field according to 38 the current ordinance in that all seven gas stations have the same requirements. 39 40 Mr. Roger Bona, 2801 Kenzie Terrace, stated in this day and age it is difficult to differentiate 41 between convenience and hardship in an age of mechanical, technological, electrical advantages, 42 be it farm implements or a laundromat. He stated the advances made in electric windows and 43 door locks in automobiles are safety and convenience issues. He stated it is difficult to separate 44 convenience from mechanical hardship. He stated relative to safety issue, he witnessed a young 45 man climbing up a mountain of snow to change the gas station signs; he fell and rolled into 13