Discuss Sign Standards for Highway 10 Corridor

The purpose of this case is to provide broad policy direction on potential amendments to the City's sign regulations based on business community feedback and previous sign approvals. This is an introductory discussion topic at this point. No suggested amendments to City Code have been prepared at this time. Staff will provide visual examples to illustrate the discussion topics below as part of the presentation at the meeting.

Notification is not required.

As a matter of current policy, property owners are allowed to request a Conditional Use Permit to exceed the maximum standards for sign design that allows the City to review these larger signs on a case by case basis.

Maximum Height of Permanent Signs Along Highway 10

The City currently limits maximum height of permanent signs to twenty-five (25) feet. As the City and its partners of MnDOT and Anoka County progress design of grade-separated interchanges along Highway 10, private commercial property owners have continually expressed a need for additional sign height along Highway 10. In response, the City created an overlay district modeled after a peer community in a similar situation allowing sign heights of fifty (50) feet in height. As Anoka County has progressed in final design, the City has received multiple inquiries of the possibility of sign heights of 75 feet. Inquiries have cited visibility and driver-decision points along Highway 10 as the reasoning for the desire for additional height. A good local example of standards limiting to fifty (50) feet in height is Main Street (CSAH 14) and Highway 65 in Blaine. A good local example of standards allowing height higher than fifty (50) feet in height is Highway 101 and I94 in Rogers.

The City can exercise its legislative policy discretion to further amend City Code to allow for this height. Staff would recommend that signs of this height, if allowed, but required to provide for shared, or co-located signage to reduce the appearance of clutter at key nodes.

Staff is seeking direction as to whether the Commission feels as though the requested sign height is an appropriate policy and design for the community.

Temporary Signs

The City allows temporary signs for a maximum of six (6) weeks per year per business. If there are no documented sign violations within a twelve (12) month period at the end of the six (6) week period, the business is allowed an additional four (4) weeks per year.

Temporary signs are typically seen in several different forms:

 

1. Interchangeable letter/mobile
2. Banner
3. Banner 'flags'

Interchangeable Letters

Mobile interchangable letter signs can take on a variety of designs. Currently, this type is most commonly associated with signs containing a solid black background with neon colored letters. The letters can be re-used and re-arranged for multiple uses. These signs are often affixed to trailers for easy transport.

Banners

Banners are typically printed with vinyl affixed lettering creating for a specific event. These signs are typically affixed to building walls, but often times to fences as well. These banners serve well for advertising purposes and have a better aesthetic appeal when professionally printed.

Sign Plan for The COR

As part of the discussion above, Staff has been working on potential amendments to the Sign Plan for The COR. The current approach includes the following:

 

1. Creation of larger Community Signs along Highway 10 with the primary purpose of identifying The COR and some individual tenant panels for major tenants.
2. Creation of Gateway Signs at intersections with County Roads identifying The COR as well as individual tenants. These signs are not as large as the Community Signs, but do allow for a broader use of tenant panels.

Preparation of this discussion topic are being handled as part of normal Staff duties. Discussion at this stage does not infer future costs to the City for construction of signs, rather an appropriate policy for permanent and temporary sign regulations within the community.

No action is being requested.

Maximum Sign Height
 

• Continue to allow a maximum sign height of twenty-five (25) feet in standard areas
• Continue to allow a maximum sign height of fifty (50) feet in the Overlay District as a Permitted Use and expand to The COR
• Allow a maximum sign height of seventy-five (75) feet in the Overlay District and require provisions for co-location to limit the total number of signs of this height

Temporary Signs
 

• Retain standards for temporary inter-changable letter signs
• Amend standards for temporary banners to separate from other types of temporary signs and allow a longer duration

Sign Plan for The COR
 

• Focus Community Signs along Highway 10 to focus on identifying The COR and two (2) to three (3) major tenants per sign
• Allow Gateway Signs at each of the nodes/intersections of County Roads to have four (4) to seven (7) tenant panels

No action is being requested. Staff is seeking broad policy discussion as outlined above in order to prepare for a potential future ordinance amendment.