Provide direction for modifications to Armstrong Boulevard Interchange Overlay District modifications.

Anoka County staff working with business property owners affected by the upcoming Highway 10 reconstruction project in Ramsey are reporting concerns about future visibility of their businesses.  Visibility impacts are anticipated in a similar manner to the Armstrong Boulevard interchange with overpasses constructed for Ramsey Boulevard and Sunfish Lake Boulevard.  The original Armstrong Boulevard Interchange Overlay District, created in 2013, was intended to create relief to businesses affected by that interchange.  In the last few years, however, the City Council has granted three requests for taller and larger signs in that area.  The three signs are 75 feet in height with sign faces ranging between 225 and 334 square feet.  Two of the three signs are for multi-tenant buildings and the third one is purely a dynamic sign. 
 
Staff is proposing to be proactive for the impacted businesses and expand the Armstrong Boulevard Interchange Overlay District to the east border of Ramsey and, in the process, rename it to reflect the entire freeway corridor.  Additional direction is needed from the Planning Commission to keep with the existing 50-foot height and 150 square feet or increase those standards to match what was approved.  Additional modification could be to keep the 150 square feet for single-user signs with increased area for multi-tenant signs. 
 
Businesses will continue to have the ability to apply for a conditional use permit (CUP) for oversized signs.  Staff is looking to be proactive and reduce the likelihood of a business incurring the expense and added delay of going through the CUP process.  Signs meeting City Code standards would simply need a permit to be erected. 


The following are the two sections of City Code proposed for changes.  Underline is added text, strikethough is deleted text, and red bold is requested for discussion.

117-1 Definitions Armstrong Boulevard Interchange Highway 10 Signage Overlay District means a district for purposes of allowing additional signage in a specified area due to limited visibility created by overpasses on Highway 10, described as all commercially zoned property located within 750 feet of the Centerline of Highway 10 and extending to the Centerline of Traprock Street and extending between the eastern border of the City of Ramsey and to the Centerline of Llama Street. Parcels located within The COR Zoning District are exempted excluded from this overlay district, as sign regulations for that district are located in a separate section of City Code.
 
117-519(c) Permitted freestanding signs under previous section 117-519(a) (business use signs), and located within the Armstrong Boulevard Interchange Highway 10 Signage Overlay District as defined by this section, shall be allowed to a height of not more than 50 feet and an area of not greater than 150 square feet. Signs permitted under this section shall have a monument style base constructed of materials that are consistent with the principal building to a minimum height of six feet.

 

Not applicable.  

Please provide staff direction to bring an ordinance forward with a public hearing on June 23.