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HomeMy Public PortalAbout12-08-1998PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING - DECEMBER 8, 1998 PRESENT: LENNY LEUER, JERRY BROST, FRANK MIGNONE, SUSIE MACKAY, ELIZABETH WEIR, CAROLYN SMITH AND BRUCE WORKMAN ARRIVED AT 6:30 P.M. ALSO PRESENT, PLANNING AND ZONING ADMINISTRATOR LOREN KOHNEN, CITY CLERK PAUL ROBINSON AND PLANNING AND ZONING ASSISTANT SANDIE LARSON. ABSENT: KATHY COOK Chairperson Lenny Leuer called the meeting to order at 6:13 p.m. COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DISCUSSION Lenny Leuer asked if the RCH zone was being left. in Paul Robinson said if there is a better term we will use it - he said that the map presented was pretty much the same. The draft plan was gone thru with the planning commission having some suggested changes. About % of the draft was gone thru - the rest will be done at the next meeting. A continued meeting on the comprehensive plan discussion was scheduled for Tuesday, December 22 from 6 - 8 p.m. Chairperson Lenny Leuer called the regular planning commission meeting to order at 7:36 p.m. 1. MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 10, 1998 Lenny Leuer - page 10 - #17 - this is for all lots Elizabeth Weir - page 2 - last paragraph - re -word Carolyn Smith - page 3 in her comment - along the property owners across Brocton - delete owners - page 3 - about % way down in V. Murphy's comment - change protection to protected Jerry Brost said in item #3 - change Leslie Chapman to Kerstin Chapman. MOVED BY ELIZABETH WEIR SECONDED BY FRANK MIGNONE TO APPROVE THE MINUTES AS AMENDED. Motion carried. 2. MEDINA ENTERTAINMENT CENTER - 500 HIGHWAY #55 - VARIANCE FOR HEIGHT AND SIZE OF SIGN - PUBLIC HEARING 1 Loren Kohnen read his memo to the planning commission and put up overheads of the current sign and the proposed sign. He stated that the new sign would be using the same concrete base that is there and that this size base is needed because of the wind. Elizabeth Weir wanted to know if the current sign was designed before the highway was done. It was stated that the sign was done before the highway was raised. Bob Raskob said that the base was done in 1974 - has changed some since. He said that they have been in business for 42 years and people know where we are but they do not know all what is inside. He said with the 4 lane highway and people traveling faster they need a larger sign to be able to read as they are going by. The current sign is not very attractive and the city could put messages up on the reader part of the sign. Dennis Mellem, Signcrafters, said that the new sign is 7' taller and measuring the sign itself, the old one is about 200 square feet and the new one would be 243 square feet. Jerry Brost asked what the ordinance allows. L. Kohnen said the ordinance allows 100 square feet per side. Elizabeth Weir asked how the old one was measured - Loren pointed out on the overhead how it was done. D. Mellem said this new sign fits the property and is not that much larger than the old one - he said there is also the motel. L. Kohnen said that the motel cannot be advertised on this sign, that would be off premise advertising and the ordinance does not allow that. Susie Mackay asked if the current sign could be modified with newer technology. D. Mellem said that the letter height needs to be big enough to read. S. Mackay said if the non -type visuals were eliminated the letters could be bigger. Carolyn Smith said the top of the sign could be brought down to the middle where there isn't anything now. S. Mackay said that we have very clear guide lines to follow. Frank Miqnone asked how high it was from the road to the where the sign starts. L. Kohnen said it would be generous to subtract 10' because of the road - the applicant had no control over the road. 2 E. Weir asked if the current sign was designed before the ordinance and Loren said no, it was in violation of the ordinance. B. Raskob said that the motel was owned by the same corporation and D. Mellem said that the current motel sign would be removed. L. Kohnen said that it would be an off premise sign and that is not allowed in our ordinance - the motel is on a separate parcel. L. Leuer reiterated that the current signs square footage was measured with just the printed area and that it is non -conforming now - Loren said yes. The public hearing was closed at 8:00 p.m. Bruce Workman said this is really a tough issue - the existing sign is not that attractive but that is not reason enough to grant a variance and we would be setting a precedence if we allow it but I would like to help - he said he is comfortable with replacing exact same area. L. Leuer reiterated that the existing square footage is just the wording. There was continued discussion of utilizing the old sign and how it could be modified. C. Smith asked if it was currently a non -conforming sign and it was redone would it then be a conforming sign. L. Kohnen said no, it would still be non -conforming. D. Mellem said that the Medina Entertainment Center is unique, there is no other like it in the Twin Cities F. Mignone said that the planning commission could approve the variance and the city council could deny it. B. Workman asked when a sign becomes new or just remodeled. E. Weir and L. Leuer both said it is non -conforming now and over in space, how about granting him the variance to re -do the current face. Lenny said there are four signs now (four different faces) There was discussion of the height variance. The current sign is 37' tall and they are asking for 41'. Taking in considering the road level, the variance would be 11'. C. Smith said she had no problem with that. E. Weir and B. Workman both said they are o.k. with grandfathering in the current non- conforming sign. 3 F. Mignoncq said that the city council has never granted a variance for the size of a sign. C. Smith said it appears we are rewarding an action that was against the ordinance when it was put up. She said people tend to ignore their conditional use permits and the ordinances and even though the Entertainment Center is a good member of the community, she still doesn't want to reward them. B. Workman said they are trying to improve the sign and the image of the city but it is hard to make an improvement without digging up the past. E. Weir said that the city had a role and the sign went up and the city did not act at that time. She wondered how the applicant felt in working with the existing space with adding to the height. D. Mellem said he thought that would work. There was discussion on how to re -word the existing sign. L. Leuer said there is one of three things they can do: 1 - Deny the variance 2. - pass the height variance and allow approximately 8 x 16 for the sign and 3. - be bold and allow an area of 16 x 20. He stated that the planning commission was just a recommending body. There was discussion on the amount of square footage to allow. C. Smith questioned the reader board. She said that Highway 55 Rentals has one, you want one, someone else will want one, etc. etc. etc. Mark Raskob said that they want the reader board. , said that we are a part of the community and we are an entertainment center. S. Mackay said we want to make sure we are not giving special treatment. D. Mellem said he has done message centers for 30 years and businesses have to be able to afford them. MOVED BY BRUCE WORKMAN AND SECONDED BY FRANK MIGNONE TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF 1. AN 11' HEIGHT VARIANCE WITH THE ELEVATION OF THE ROAD BEING THE HARDSHIP. 2. SIGN NOT TO EXCEED 192 SQUARE FEET PER SIDE AND NO MOTEL ADVERTISING ALLOWED ON THE SIGN AS THIS IS OFF -PREMISE ADVERTISING AND 3. ALLOW MESSAGE BOARD WITH TIME AND TEMPERATURE ONLY CONFORMING TO ORDINANCE 815.07 Sub 1. M. Raskob wanted to know if the sign on the building counted and Loren said that was a separate sign. 4 C. Smith said that the city has already approved a non -conforming sign and she doesn't want to be setting a precedent - she said the ordinance also says that signs cannot distract drivers. There was discussion of flashing and moving signs. B. Workman said he feels the new sign will improve the overall appearance and image of the city. MOTION PASSED. There was discussion of Carolyn Smith remaining on the planning commission until the comprehensive plan is completed. Loren Kohnen discussed the County (Elwell) property. Talk of a zoning district that would not allow public building of any kind, schools, churches, etc., but would allow for larger sewered lot. He also mentioned the forthcoming Polaris proposal. He also talked of going with the Mayor and doing light readings at the Holiday station. MOVED BY CAROLYN SMITH AND SECONDED BY JERRY BROST TO ADJOURN. MOTION PASSED. Meeting adjourned at 11 p.m. Planning and Zoning Assistant Date 5