Request for a Conditional Use Permit to Exceed Sign Size Restrictions at 7333 Sunwood Dr NW; Case of Leroy Signs, Inc.

The City received an application on April 11, 2011 from Leroy Signs, Inc., on behalf of NAU Country, requesting a conditional use permit to exceed sign size restrictions for the NAU Country single occupant building located at 7333 Sunwood Drive NW.

In accordance with State statute, Staff attempted to notify property owners within 350 feet of the subject property of the public hearing via Standard US Mail. The Public Hearing was also noticed in the Anoka County Union, the City's official newsletter for public notices.

The COR zoning district sign regulations, excluding the COR-2 subdistrict, have distinctly different architectural standards than those for the general Business and Employment zoning districts within the community. These regulations were developed with the intention of applying them to the central areas of The COR where there will be many multi-tenant buildings, with each individual tenant having very limited frontage. Consistent with all sign regulations in the City, the City has built in flexibility in its sign regulations through the use of the CUP process.

The NAU Country building has dimensions of 179 feet by 183 feet, has frontage along three (3) public roads, and is a single-occupant building. It is located in the COR-3 zoning district, which restricts wall-mounted signs to a maximum of five percent (5%) of the ground floor building facade area or twenty-four (24) square feet, whichever is less. Furthermore, lettering, numbers, or graphics are restricted to a maximum height of twelve (12) inches. However, businesses with frontage on more than one public road are allowed the permitted sign criteria for each street frontage.

According to the applicant, NAU Country has redesigned their company logo and thus, needs to update their existing wall signage. In 2005, the City Council approved a conditional use permit (CUP) for the current signage on the building. That CUP allowed two (2) wall signs, each totaling just over fifty-three (53) square feet and permitted twenty-four (24) inch tall lettering.

The applicant is proposing to replace both of the existing wall signs with new wall mounted signs. The lettering and graphics are proposed to be twenty-four (24) inches in height, consistent with previously approved letter height for the building, but the overall square footage, which would be forty-five (45) feet per sign, would be slightly less than what was previously approved in 2005. The proposed signage would be front-lit with internal illumination. Neither sign would project more than six (6) inches from the wall.

The Planning Commission held a public hearing on May 5, 2011 and there were no verbal or written comments submitted.

Staff is aware that the sign regulations for the COR area are limited in terms of size of signs allowed and will be revisiting these regulations for possible amendments in the very near future. This request is for a larger, single tenant building with frontage on three (3) public roads. The current proposal represents a slight reduction in square footage per sign from what exists on the building presently and maintains the twenty-four (24) inch letter height approved by the original conditional use permit in 2005. Both Staff and the Planning Commission recommend approval of the request.

All costs associated with reviewing the application are the responsibility of the Applicant.

Motion to adopt findings of fact relating to Leroy Signs, Inc. request for a conditional use permit to exceed sign size restrictions established in City Code.

-and-

Motion to approve Leroy Signs, Inc. request to exceed sign size restrictions based on the findings of fact, and adopt a resolution declaring terms of conditional use permit.