Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutPL MINUTES 11211989 Meeting Sheet IIIIIIVIIIVIIIVIIIVIIIVIIIIIII IIIIAl 101562 BOX: 21 Folder: PL MINUTES AND AGENDAS 1989 Document: PL MINUTES 11211989 1 1 CITY OF ST. ANTHONY 2 3 PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES 4 NOVEMBER 21 , 1989 5 6 7 CALL TO ORDER 8 9 The meeting was called to order by Chairperson Madden at 10 7 : 33 p.m. The Pledge of Allegiance was led by the 11 Commission Chair . Chairperson Madden announced that 12 Steve-- London has resigned-the office of Planning 13 Commissioner, effective immediately. 14 15 16 ROLL CALL 17 18 Present: Brownell , Franzese , Hansen , Madden, Wagner, 19 Werenicz 20 . Also Present : Thomas Burt, City Manager 21 Susan VanderHeyden, Assistant to the 22 City Manager 23 24 25 APPROVAL OF MINUTES 26 27 Motion by Hansen, seconded by Wagner, to approve the 28 October 3 , 19-89 Planning Commission meeting minutes as 29 presented and with the following corrections: 30 31 Page 2 , Line 8 : Change "cases" to "case . " 32 Page 5 , Line 16 : .Change "9 .75" to "20" ; change " (1 . 5 x 33 6 . 5) " to " (2 . 5 x 8 sign) . " 34 Page 7 , Line 43 : Change "reluctanat" to "reluctant. " 35 Page 3 , Line 42 : Change "enclosed" to "enclose. " 36 37 Motion carried unanimously. 3,8 39 40 DESIGNATE COMMISSION REPRESENTATIVE TO NOVEMBER 28th 41 COUNCIL-MEETING 42 43 Commissioner Brownell was selected and agreed to 44, represent the Planning Commission at the next scheduled 45 City Council meeting. . 46 47 48 PUBLIC HEARINGS 49 50 ROSIE ' S RESTAURANT; 2905 KENZIE TERRACE; SIGN VARIANCE 2 1 REQUEST 2 3 The Chair read the official notice of the public hearing , 4 which had been duly published in the November 8 ; 1989 5 issue of the St. Anthony Bulletin. No one failed to 6 receive or stated an objection to the contents of the 7 - notice . The public. hearing was set to consider a 8 variance request from Stan Carlson, operator of Rosie ' s 9 Restaurant, 2905 Kenzie Terrace , to be allowed to place 10 a second sign (measuring 2 . 5 ' x 12 ' ; 30 square feet) on 11 the east side of the building. - 12 13 Staff Report 14 15 Assistant VanderHeyden explained to the Commission that 16 the measurement of 48 square feet provided in the notice 17 of public hearing is incorrect , but that the measurement 18 of 30 square feet provided, in the memo to the Commission 19 is correct . She then advised the Commission that 20 Rosie ' s Restaurant plans to install two identical 21 permanent signs , one on the south side of the 22 restaurant, and one on the east which will address 23 traffic on St . Anthony Boulevard and Kenzie Terrace. 24 She noted that the total square footage of the two signs 25 is well within the total signage square footage 26 allotment of 110 square feet. 27 28 The public hearing was opened at 7 : 40 p.m. by Chair 29 Madden, who invited the petitioner to present his case•. 30 31 Michael McKee , McKee Sign Service, informed- the 32 Commission that a permit had been secured for a sign on 33 the front of the building, and offered to answer any 34 questions from the Commission regarding the variance for . 35 the east sign. 36 37 Commissioner Brownell asked Mr . McKee to describe the 38 location of the sign. Mr . McKee stated that the sign 39 will be placed on the mansard and will not extend above 40 the roof line . 41 42 Stan Carlson, operator of Rosie ' s Restaurant , explained 43 to the Commission that the angled position of the 44 restaurant on the lot necessitates a second sign which 45 would face traffic approaching the restaurant from 46 Silver Lake Road. 47 48 Commissioner Franzese complimented Mr. Carlson on the M 49 tastefulness of the signage. 50 3 1 Commissioner Werenicz asked Mr . Carlson to provide the 2 Commission with some background information about the 3 restaurant. Mr . Carlson replied that he and his partner 4 have been in the restaurant business for 15 years , and 5 that the owners of Rosie ' s pride themselves on providing 6 home-cooked meals with fresh rather than frozen 7 ingredients . He also noted that the owners are 8 contemplating extending their hours to 8 : 00 p.m. on 9 Saturdays . 10 11 Commissioner Brownell asked whether the signs would be . 12 illuminated during hours the restaurant is closed, and 13 Mr. Carlson and Mr. McKee agreed that they would not . 14 15 The public hearing was closed at 7 : 46 p.m. 16 17 The Commission concurred that the location of Rosie ' s 18 Restaurant warrants a second sign, and was satisfied 19 with the proposed appearance of the sign . Commissioner 20 Franzese pointed out that the Rosie ' s Restaurant request 21 is a prime example of a situation (two storefronts) in 22 which a variance should automatically be allowed, and 23 that the sign ordinance might accordingly be amended. 24 25 Motion by Franzese , seconded by Wagner, to recommend 26 that the City Council grant a variance to Rosie ' s 27 Restaurant, 2905 Kenzie Terrace , for a second sign on 28 the east side of the building, measuring 2 . 5 ' x 12 ' , 30 29 square feet; finding that the property fronts on two 30 thoroughfares; and finding that the conditions for the 31 variance were satisfactorily met and that no one spoke 32 against the request; that all prior sign variances on 33 the property be cancelled; that the variance expire in 34 90 days; and that the variance not be transferable to 35 new owners of the property. 36 37 Motion carried unanimously. 38 39 40 LaNEL FINANCIAL (AUTUMN WOODS APARTMENTS) ; 2600 KENZIE 41 TERRACE; SIGN VARIANCE REQUEST 42 43 The Chair read the official notice of the public 44 hearing, which had been duly published in the November 45 8th issue of the .St . Anthony Bulletin. No one failed to 46 receive or stated an objection to the contents of the 47 notice. The public hearing was set to consider a sign 48 variance request for an increase in the size allowed for N 49 directional signs; two proposed signs to be 6 ' x 3 . 5 ' 50 for 21 square feet, plus 1-3/4 square feet for the top 4 1 circular logo portion, for a total of 22-3/4 square 2 feet . 3 4 Staff Report 5 6 Assistant VanderHeyden explained to the Commission that 7 the measurements in the memo to the Commission are 8 correct while incorrect measurements were inadvertently 9 published in the public notice . She stated that City 10 Hall had received a call from an unidentified resident 11 across the street from Autumn Woods who objected to the 12 proposed signage as being too large. She also informed 13 the, Commission that the sign ordinance does not address 14 the number of directional.. signs , only their size . 15 Commissioners Hansen and Wagner noted that the temporary 16 Autumn Woods signage is falling into disrepair . 17 .18 The Chair opened the public hearing at 8 : 00 p.m. , 19 inviting Paul Brewer of LaNel Financial Group, Inc . to 20 present his plan to the Commission. 21 22 Mr. Brewer informed the Commission that Autumn Woods 23 will have one monument sign located at the main entrance 24 to the complex: He stated that the center building in 25 which the rental office is located has one main entrance 26 underneath a canopy, but that the other two buildings 27 have numerous entryways , necessitating additional 28 direction not only for visitors to the complex but for 29 police and fire service . He explained that Autumn Woods 30 felt that bigger signs rather than more signs would -31 direct people to their destinations more efficiently, 32 and that the most practical locations were chosen for 33 those directional signs. He apologized for the 34 appearance of the temporary signage, and noted that the 35 directional signs will be routed rather than painted and 36 are designed to fit attractively into the landscape . 37 38 Commissioner Wagner asked whether both the signs would 39 direct visitors to the rental office, and Mr . Brewer 40 replied that they would, although the only access to the 41 rental office would be from the semaphore area. 42 43 Commissioner Hansen asked whether the directional signs 44 would be two-sided. Mr. Brewer responded that the signs 45 would be one-sided, and that traffic approaching from 46 the north on Kenzie Terrace would be directed to the 47 driveway by the monument sign and to the rental office 48 and units once they turned in the driveway. 49 M 50 Commissioner Wagner asked what the size of the monument 5 1 sign would be, but Mr. Brewer was unsure. Chair Madden 2 asked whether a permit had been taken out for the 3 monument sign, but Mr . Brewer was unsure . Assistant 4 VanderHeyden told the Commission that Public Workss 5 Director Larry Hamer was handling the monument sign 6 issue, and had informed her that the proposed monument 7 sign met the requirements of the sign ordinance. 8 Commissioner Wagner asked that the Commission be 9 informed of the size of the monument sign. 10 11 Commissioner Werenicz disputed Mr . Brewer ' s claim .that. . 12. directional signs would aid police and fire service if 13 the directional sign is not visible from the north, 14 stating that most police and fire response originates 15 from the north . 16 17 Commissioner Wagner pointed out that one of the 18 conditions of granting a certificate of occupancy 19 variance for Autumn Woods was that an emergency entrance 20 would be provided from the shopping center parking lot 21 to the Autumn Woods Complex, which has not yet, been 22 accomplished although one of the buildings is occupied . 23 Commissioner Wagner also suggested that the ideal 24 location for a directional sign would be at that 25 emergency entrance once it is built. Mr. Brewer stated 26 that at present a walkway easement exists , and that the 27 existing wall was constructed at a time when the 28 adjacent property owner would not agree to allow Autumn 29 Woods to build the ramp they had planned. He stated his 30 belief that provision has been made •instead for a ramp 31 towards the far end of the wall . He agreed to check on 32 the status of that project, stating that Autumn Woods 33 fully intends to meet the City ' s requirements . 34 35 Commissioner Wagner asked Mr. Brewer to describe the 36 proposed directional signs in more detail . Mr. Brewer 37 stated that each sign would carry only the addresses of 38 the units accessed from that . point, along with 39 directions to the rental center . 40 41 The public hearing was closed at 8 : 16 p.m. 42 43. Motion by Hansen, seconded by Brown, to table . 44 45 Commissioner Hansen proposed that the issue be tabled 46 until more information could be provided concerning the 47 size of the monument sign and a more exact description 48 of the proposed directional signs . 49 50 Commissioner Franzese expressed her disagreement, citing 6 1 as an example the difficulty of finding addresses in the 2 Windsor Green complex. She stated that the directional 3 signs should be as large as proposed in order for people 4 to be able to safely spot and read -the signs with ease 5 while driving. She further stated that it is a 6 convenience for Autumn Woods residents if visitors to 7 the complex, delivery people, et cetera, can easily 8 locate their unit . She added that it would be to the 9 community ' s advantage for prospective Autumn Woods 10 residents to be able to locate the rental office and the 11 units with ease, thereby increasing_ the occupancy -of the- - 12 complex at a -faster 'rate.- - : - 13 14 Commissioners Wagner and- Werenicz expressed their 15 agreement with Commissioner Franzese ' s statements , but . 16 reiterated the need -for more detailed information on the 17 exact descriptions of each of the three signs . 18 19 Commissioner Brownell stated that, although he did not 20 feel the need for additional information about the 21 monument sign because it is not a variance issue, ' he 22 would favor -tabling the issue because the entire sign 23 package as presented .did not appear to meet the needs of 24. the complex and because he felt the signs could be made 25 smaller . 26 27 Commissioner Franzese stated that she was against 28 - tabling the motion because it would be to the 29 community' s advantage to replace the temporary signage 30 with attractive permanent signs as soon as practical . 31 Commissioner Hansen pointed out that no matter how large 32 a sign is , people can read only .a limited number of unit 33 numbers as they are driving past the sign . 34 35 Chair Madden expressed the view that the directional 36 signs might be partly advertising in nature, and that 37 strictly directional signs could be much smaller than 38 proposed. 39 - . 40. Aye : Brownell , Hansen, Wagner, Werenicz 41 Nay: Franzese , Madden 42 43 Motion passed. 44 7 1 - ' 4P 2. 4-- ------ -- -- - — ----- — 3 4 MISCELLANEOUS 5 6 ' Commissioner Wagner raised the issue of the St. Anthony 7 Self-Storage signage, and Assistant VanderHeyden replied 8 that Public Works Director Larry Hamer is monitoring the 9 situation. 10 11 Commissioner .Wer.enicz inquired as to the status of _the, • - 12 _C1ar-k' s -Submarine' Sandwich" restaurant, and Assistant. 13 VanderHeyden replied that they had. decided• not ,to lease 14 space in the St_ . Anthony Shopping' Cene ter because th 15 }extended -hours are necessary. 16 F 17 18 Assistant VanderHeyden then informed the Commissioners 19 up for reappointment that the deadline for application 20 is December(l12 1989 . She stated that no applications 21 had yet been received for the open 'Commission position. 22 Commissioner Franzese suggested that a letter be sent to 23 former Commissioner London thanking him for his service 24 on the Planning Commission. 25 26 27 ADJOURNMENT 28 29 Motion by ' Hansen, seconded by Brownell, to adjourn the 30 Planning Commission meeting at 8 : 35 p.m. 31 32 Motion carried unanimously. 33 34 35 Respectfully submitted,. 36 37 38 A 39 Doris Hoskin 40 Commission Secretary 41' 42 _ 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50