3(d) Ordinance Amendment to Expand Offsite Sign Overlay District

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ORDINANCE NUMBER�9-_, SECOND SERIES i AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER��OF THE '� CITY CODE ESTABLISHING AN OFFSITE SIGN OVERI.AY DISTRICT The City Council of the City of Pequot Lakes does ordain as follows: Section �. Purpose and Intent: The purpose and intent of this ordinance is to amend Chapter��of the Pequot Lakes City Code by creating a new Section ��-6.9, establishing an Offsite Sign Overlay District. Section 2. A new Section i�-6.9, Offsite Sign Overlay District,is hereby enacted and shall read as follows: ��-6.9 OFFSITE SIGN OVERI.AY DISTRIGT(OS) i. Purpose and Intent. The purpose of the Offsite Sign Overlay District is to establish a limited area with safe visibility from Minnesota Highway 37i where offsite signs are allowed,while preserving and protecting the health, safety and general welfare of the people of the city and their property therein situate. The city finds: A. That allowing offsite signs with visibility from Minnesota Highway 37i serves the public interest by providing opportunities to businesses and organizations located in the city's historic downtown(among other entities and organizations),which is bypassed by the highway,to reach travelers thereon with messaging,thus promoting the economic vitality of the city's downtown; B. That the city reaffirms the important governmental interests served by generally prohibiting offsite signs in the city as set forth in Section i�- �.i,but finds that such interests should yield to the public benefit that would be realized in allowing offsite signs on a limited basis in the narrowly-defined area included in the Offsite Sign Overlay District; and C. That a minimum distance of 2,00o feet between offsite signs to be located within the Offsite Sign Overlay District is necessary because the offsite signs will primarily be visible to traffic traveling at high rates of speed on Minnesota Highway 37i, and allowing offsite signs at more frequent intervals would constitute an unacceptable risk of distraction to drivers.