CCP 04-26-2011 - Laserfiche WebLink

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South: County RD E2, industrial facility East: 5th AVE NW, single family homes West: Railroad,New Brighton Public Works facility SPECIAL USE PERMIT ANALYSIS The proposed Special Use Permit is to allow the corner tenant of Building E (corner building at County RD E2 & 5th AVE NW) wall signs measuring 48 SF when the current comprehensive sign plan allows 28 SF. The justification for allowing a larger sign for this tenant space is that it is the largest space and has a prominent exposure at the corner of County Road E2 and 5th AVE NW. The new tenant of this space, Glory Days Bar/Restaurant, consumes three tenant spaces where if there were three individual tenants there would be three individual signs for a total square footage of 84 SF on the street side and parking lot side. This request is to allow one larger sign of 48 SF on the street side and parking lot side. Main Street Village is considered a "renewal area", allowing use of the Comprehensive Sign Plan tool. The controlling standards for approving comprehensive sign plans in renewal areas, per Zoning Code Section 9-041(C) is "sound identification, reduction of clutter, and aesthetic enhancement". Additionally, the plan must "be sensitive to and compatible with the unique physical circumstances that may be created by a renewal project". There are four existing tenants in Building E, with the proposed Glory Days Bar/Restaurant being the 5th tenant. Each of the four tenants has a 28 SF sign on both the street side facade and the parking lot side facade. General business uses, not under regulation of a comprehensive sign plan, are allowed a maximum allotment of signage per street frontage of 200 SF. Being this site has two street frontages, 400 SF of signage would be allowed under the general sign code requirements. If you add up the proposed 48 SF sign and the existing 28 SF signs, the building's signage is under 400 SF at 160 SF per facade. Even if you include the 160 SF allowed on the parking lot side of the building, the site is still under the allotted 400 SF for just the street side facade. Noting this and the mere reduction in signs on the building, staff finds the requested amendment to be satisfactory. Zoning Code Section 9-041(4) states that a sign plan cannot be approved unless the following findings are met(staff responses in italics): 1. That the sign plan provides sound identification, reduction of clutter, and aesthetic enhancement. It is of staff opinion that this criterion is met. The proposal will actually decrease the amount and size of signs on both the street and parking lot facades. 2. That the sign plan is sensitive to and compatible with physical circumstances of the site and buildings. Staff finds this criterion to be met. As illustrated on the proposed sign drawings, the 48 SF sign will fit within the appropriate sign area and thus be compatible with the physical circumstances of the building. 3. That the sign plan is not detrimental to public safety. The proposed wall signs will have no impact on public safety. 4. That the sign plan will not impede the normal and orderly placement of signs on surrounding properties.