4A - Conditional Use Application for Additional Signage in DMU District

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COMMUNITY City of CXROWTH Pequat INSTITUTE Lakes— STAFF REPORT Application: Conditional Use Application for Additional Signage(continuation) Applicant: Brian Laudenbach, BLMM, LLC Agenda Item:4(a) Background Information: The Planning Commission has approved the reconstruction of the Oasis facility along with the opening of the drive-thru for the Dairy Queen. Additionally, the Planning Commission has approved additional signage for the facility through the Sign Concept Plan process. The approvals of the Planning Commission explicitly excluded the digital reader board that has been requested by the Dairy Queen. Action on that sign was tabled to the April meeting. Applicable Regulations:The following regulations apply to this property: Section 17-7.1 regulates the use of all signs. 4. General. C. All flashing, revolving and intermittently lighted signs and all portable signs are prohibited, except as specifically allowed in this section. Staff Findings: The Staff provides the following findings of fact addressing the issue of the non-conforming use for consideration: i. A digital reader board will flash and be intermittently lit. Therefore it is specifically prohibited. Planning Commission Direction: The Planning Commission can approve of the conditional use permit, deny the application, or table the request if additional information is needed. If the motion is for approval or denial, findings of fact should be cited. Staff Recommendation: The Planning Commission directed the Staff to publish language for an ordinance amendment that would allow digital reader signs.That did not make it onto the agenda for April. An ordinance amendment could repeal Section 17-7.1 (4) (C) and/or it could craft language that would limit the size and scope of digital signs. Understand that the City of Pequot Lakes cannot regulate the content of a sign, so it will be difficult for us to say that a gas station can publish the price of gas but the school can't publish the time/temp and some events and the bank can't publish their CD rates. In that context, we would encourage member to envision the bulk criteria (size, height, intensity, digital or not, color, shape, lamination, etc...) that they would wish to apply to Pequot Lakes Staff Report 4(a)-1 April 15,2010