Request for a Conditional Use Permit to Exceed Sign Size Restrictions at 7231 Sunwood Dr NW; Case of Allina Medical Clinic.

The City received an application on May 4, 2011 from Allina Medical Clinic requesting a conditional use permit to exceed sign size restrictions for the new Allina Medical Clinic building located at 7231 Sunwood Drive NW. The proposed signage includes multiple wall signs, a monument sign and two directional signs.

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 site 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 (in this case, twenty-four [24] square feet would be the maximum allowable area per City Code). Furthermore, lettering, numbers, and graphics are restricted to a maximum height of twelve (12) inches. One freestanding sign, not exceeding six (6) square feet in area nor six (6) feet in height, is permitted within the COR-3 zoning district. Finally, one directional sign, facing a rear parking lot, is permitted. Businesses with frontage on more than one public road are allowed the permitted sign criteria for each street frontage.

The applicant's sign package proposal includes two (2) wall signs, a monument sign (mounted on one of the sitting walls) and two directional signs. Both the wall and monument signage consist of brushed aluminum, flat cut letters and graphics and will be externally lit (either up-lit or down-lit). Proposed letter height of the wall signage ranges from six (6) inches to fourteen and three quarters (14.75) inches and the proposed logo would be thirty-six (36) inches in height. The 'primary' wall sign would total approximately thirty-seven and a half (37.5) square feet and the 'secondary' wall sign would total approximately eleven (11) square feet, resulting in a total of forty-eight and a half (48.5) square feet of wall signage.

Originally, the monument sign included a logo similar in size to that of the 'primary' wall sign (close to thirty-six [36] inch height) and an area of approximately thirty-two (32) square feet. But, based on discussion with the Planning Commission, the applicant reduced the proposed monument signage to a twenty-three (23) inch tall logo, letter heights ranging from four (4) to ten (10) inches, and an area of approximately twenty-five (25) square feet. However, the applicant has since informed Staff that their preference would be to pursue a logo height of thirty (30) inches, which was the maximum allowable height recommended by the Planning Commission.

The request also includes two (2) double-faced, non-illuminated directional signs. Each sign is approximately three and three quarters (3.75) square feet in area and will be mounted to a six (6) foot tall post. The proposed signage would help direct traffic movement within the parking area.

The Planning Commission held a public hearing on May 19, 2011 and there were no verbal or written comments regarding this request.

Staff is aware that the sign regulations for the COR area are limited in terms of both size and number of signs allowed and will be revisiting these regulations for possible amendments in the very near future. The style and material of the proposed signage complements the architectural features of the building.

As was recently discussed with a similar request, our current preference for letter height in this area would be no more than eighteen (18) inches (through the issuance of a CUP). Excluding the logos, all proposed lettering is less than eighteen (18) inches in height and the style of lettering and graphics is consistent with the intent of the current sign regulations for The COR area. The property does front on both Sunwood Dr and Ramsey Blvd and therefore is eligible for up to twenty-four (24) square feet of wall signage for each frontage and a ground/monument sign for each frontage as well.

Some concern was noted regarding the proposed monument sign, which initially included a logo with very similar dimensions as the proposed wall sign logo. The Planning Commission indicated that they would prefer to see the logo height reduced from thirty-six (36) inches to no more than thirty (30) inches and recommended approval of the request contingent on a reduced logo height. It appears that the Applicant has attempted to meet the intent of the Planning Commission recommendation, as noted in the revised drawings.

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

Motion to adopt findings of fact relating to Allina Medical Clinic's request for a conditional use permit to exceed sign size restrictions established in City Code subject to review by the City Attorney as to legal form.

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Motion to approve Allina Medical Clinic's request to exceed sign size restrictions based on the findings of fact, and adopt a resolution declaring terms of conditional use permit subject to review by the City Attorney as to legal form.