Adopt Ordinance to Amend City Code Section 117-118 (The COR) Approving Amendment to The COR Design Framework Related to Off-Street Parking, Signs, Parks and Trails, and Sub-District Boundaries

This case relates to requested amendments to The COR Design Framework for the following topics:

• Master Sign Plan and Private Signs
• Parking Standards for Restaurants
• Updated Development Plan and Sub-District Boundaries

The Public Hearing was properly published in the Anoka County Union, the City's official newsletter for Public Hearings.

Master Sign Plan

The original version of the Design Framework included provisions for a Master Sign Plan. At that time, only locations of these larger community and development signs had been determined. The design and bulk of those signs had not yet been determined. This amendment now creates Appendix B of the Design Framework that includes these design factors. Community Signs are those signs that are generally located along Highway 10 and are intended to capture motorists attention into the development. Community Signs may include tenant panels for users within the development signs. Specific standards are included in Appendix B, attached hereto, and include the following:

Sign Type	Allowable Size	Architecture	Allowable Height
Community Sign	300 Square Feet	Per Appendix B	30 Feet *
Gateway Sign	50 Square Feet	Per Appendix B	10 Feet
Retail Gateway Sign	150 Square Feet	Per Appendix B	12 Feet
Community Kiosk	32 Square Feet	Per Appendix B	10 Feet*
Parking Ramp Signage	100 Square Feet	Per Appendix B	(Wall Signage)

 
Gateway Signs are generally located at key nodes and intersections of the development at Armstrong Boulevard, Bunker Lake Boulevard, and Ramsey Boulevard. General Gateway Signs may not include tenant panels. Retail Gateway Signs may include tentant panels.

Community Kiosks are generally located in the center of the development with the highest emphasis on the pedestrian. As such, these are intended to be pedestrian scale and provide general information about the development and wayfinding information.

The revised text also allows additional flexibility for Project (private signs) at shared entrances in the retail sub-district. City Staff recommends additional flexibility in size in order to allow users to consolidate signs at shared entrances, thereby potentially reducing the clutter of signs along Sunwood Drive in this retail area.

The Master Sign Plan has the effect of being the Sign Code for The COR. As such amendments must be processed by Ordinance as any other type of Zoning Amendment would. A final version of the site location map related to the Master Sign Plan to provide distinction between General Gateway and Retail Gateway Signs.

Please note that Staff discovered a few wall sign types that had not been adjusted to the intended 15% of the facade area. Those sign types have been adjusted in the current draft.

Parks

The City is actively working towards a future pedestrian overpass over Highway 10 known as Mississippi Skway. A component of that request is to relocate the designation of the Central Anoka County Regional Trail through The COR along Center Street. The preferred alignment is indicated in the revised draft.

Sub-District Boundaries

As the City of Ramsey Housing and Redevelopment Authority has approved a revised Development Plan, the Planning Commission must consider updates to the City's Official Controls (Zoning Ordinance). The Sub-District Map has been revised to reflect the preferred Development Plan (Version 6.1). The only change is to amend the COR TWO Plat from COR-2 Retail Sub-District to COR-2b Sub-District based on preferred land uses and parking needs.

Parking

Based on experience with existing users in the retail area of the development, Staff recommends amending parking regulations for restaurant users in areas without planned parking ramps to allow additional parking spaces beyond the maximum allowed. Rather than basing parking requirements on square footage, the revised draft proposes to base requirements on number of seats.

One map within the Framework, the Master Sign Plan, will need to be updated upon adoption of the ordinance to reflect distinction in location for General Gateway and Retail Gateway signs.

The ordinance has been introduced and is now eligible for adoption.

Preparation of the amendments are being handled by a combination of regular Staff duties and professional services. The City of Ramsey Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA) approved a scope of services to complete the project.

The Planning Commission met on Thursday, October 4, 2012 to hold a Public Hearing and recommended approval of the proposed ordinance, which includes the revised Design Framework and Master Sign Plan with the following amendments, with adjustments to the Draft Master Sign Plan to reflect distinction between General Gateway and Retail Gateway Signs.

Motion to waive the City Charter requirement to read the ordinance aloud;

-AND-

Motion to adopt the proposed ordinance, which includes the revised Design Framework and Master Sign Plan.

Roll Call Vote:
Councilmember McGlone
Councilmember Tossey
Councilmember Elvig
Councilmember Strommen
Councilmember Wise
Councilmember Backous
Mayor Ramsey