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2005-12-13 PC Minutes ~ ~~€.-r!.'!~L€ PLANNING and ZONING COMMISSION MINUTES December 13, 2005 Albertville Council Chamber 7:00 PM CALL TO ORDER - ROLL CALL - ADOPT AGENDA PRESENT: Chair Sharon Leintz, Commission members Frank Kocon, Dan Wagner, Scott Dorenbush and Tiffany Meza, Council liaison LeRoy Berning, City Planner Al Brixius, Zoning AdministratorlBuilding Official Jon Sutherland, and Secretary/City Clerk Bridget Miller Chair Leintz called the Planning and Zoning Commission meeting of the City of Albertville to order at 7:00 p.m. ADOPT AGENDA MOTION BY Commission member Wagner, seconded by Commission member Meza to approve the agenda as presented and on file in the office of the City Clerk. Motion carried unanimously. MINUTES MOTION BY Commission member Kocon, seconded by Commission member Wagner to approve the November 9,2005 minutes as presented and on file in the office of the City Clerk. Motion carried unanimously. PUBLIC HEARINGS PRo-TECH MARINE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT OUTDOOR STORAGE Chair Leintz continued the public hearing at 7:03 p.m. City Planner Brixius reported that Pro-Tech Marine, a marine boat service and repair business, is seeking a conditional use permit to create an outdoor storage area at their location of business at 5640 MacKenzie Avenue Northeast. The site is located north of 1-94 at the southern terminus of MacKenzie Avenue Northeast and consists of approximately 2.06 acres. According to the 2005 Municipal City Code, Section 1000.15, Subd. B, requires a conditional use permit for outside storage of equipment, materials and inventory as a principal or accessory use for commercial and industrial uses. Pro-Tech Marine is in need of limited exterior storage to continue their business. This request includes exterior space for marine repair and inventory storage. In addition, the applicant will also be erecting a six foot (6') screen fence to enclose the outdoor storage area. / / Screeniri.gn:andscaping. Zoning Ordinance states that the outdoor storage area must be totally fenced, fully screened and landscaped, and a landscape guarantee, as determined by the zoning administrator, be provided. Applicants have indicated that the proposed storage area will be City of Albertville Planning & Zoning Commission Minutes December 13, 2005 Page 2 of6 screened by an opaque six foot (6') fence located along the northern, southern, eastern and western extents of the storage area. This fence will be constructed of green treated, dog eared, wood panels. In the original planning report it was suggested that the periphery of the opaque fence be planted to break up the horizontal massing ofthe fence. Our staff recommended the following landscape treatment for the east and south fence walls: 1. Landscape plan indicating clusters ofthree (3) coniferous trees spaced at thirty (30') foot intervals. Clusters must consist of at least two (2) coniferous species. 2. Alternative landscape plan may be submitted by the applicant with the same aforementioned objectives, and is subject to the approval ofthe City. The applicant has submitted a revised site plan indicating clusters ofthree (3) coniferous trees planted at thirty foot (30') intervals. The proposed coniferous trees must be, at minimum, six foot (6') tall- balled and burlaped Black Hills spruce - Picea glaca densata and Austrian pine - Pinus strobosa. Conditional use permit is provisional upon submittal of coniferous tree specification and is subject to the approval of the City. Outdoor Storage Use. The applicant has indicated that the outdoor storage space will be utilized solely for marine repair and inventory storage and have not requested winter/seasonal marine boat storage in this application. Outdoor sales display of merchandize for sale or rent is prohibited within the confines of this outdoor storage area. City Planner Brixius continued reporting on the signage concern for the commercial site. Sign age. Ordinance establishes regulations governing advertising and business signs in the city. These regulations are intended to permit an efficient, effective and aesthetic means to communicate using on and off premises signage while recognizing the need to maintain an attractive and appealing appearance in the community, including appearance along streets and property used for commercial, industrial and public development and the air space above and between such development. · Front Wall Signs Currently, Pro-Tech Marine displays front wall sign age in excess of fifteen (15%) of wall area. 1. Not more than two signs shall be permitted on the front wall of any principal building. The total area of such two signs shall not exceed fifteen percent (15%) of the wall area. One sign may be a changeable message board (including reader boards/changeable banners) that is framed to define its perimeter. 2. Front wall signs, if illuminated, shall be shielded illumination, shielded silhouette lighting or shielded spot lighting but not any lighting where the light source itself is visible or exposed on the face or sides of the characters. 2 City of Albertville Planning & Zoning Commission Minutes December 13, 2005 Page 3 of6 3. Signs constructed of metal and illuminated by any means required internal wiring or electrically wired accessory fixtures attached to a metal sign shall maintain a free clearance to grad e of nine feet (9'). Accessory lighting fixtures attached to a nonmetal frame sign shall maintain a clearance of nine feet (9') to ground. In the event a metal sign structure or accessory fixture herein described is grounded by the used of a grounding conductor run with the circuit conductors, and said structure or fixture is also grounded by being bonded to a grounding electrode at the sign site, no clearance to grade shall be mandatory. 4. Front wall signs may be gaseous tube or may be illuminated by interior means of lighting of intensity to prevent excessive glare and shall comply with the regulations established in Section 10-7-7 ofthis chapter. · Side and Rear Wall Signs: A sign or signs shall be permitted on the east rear and/or north and south side wall of the principal building, subject to the following regulations: Currently, Pro-Tech Marine displays side and rear wall sign age in excess of nine (9) square feet. 1. The total area of such rear or side wall sign or signs shall not exceed nine (9) square feet. No rear or side wall signs, other than a sign provided in subsection A2b of this section shall make used of any word, phrase, symbol or character other than to designate delivery areas. 2. Notwithstanding subsection A2a of this section, if the main entrance/exit to a particular used in the principal building opens on the side wall, or on a rear wall, the applicant shall be permitted to sign the side or rear wall in accordance with the front wall sign provision of subsection Al of this section. Building Official Sutherland visited the site and upon leaving was concerned with the parking area. There appeared to be a slight drop off near the rear ofthe lot. Mr. Sutherland recommended installing a retaining wall or a curb stop to prevent a customer or employee from backing up and going over the edge of the drop-off. City Planner Brixius summarized the nine conditions should the Planning and Zoning Commission approve the Conditional Use Permit for Pro-Tech Marine. I. Proposed Black Hills spruce - Picea glaca densata and Austrian pine - Pinus strobosa must be, at minimum, six foot (6') tall- balled and burlaped. 2. Surface of outdoor storage area must be pave or graveled surface. 3. Stacked outdoor storage must not exceed height offence, excluding boats on trailers. Boats on trailers will be treated as one unit. 3 City of Albertville Planning & Zoning Commission Minutes December 13,2005 Page 4 of6 4. Fence details are subject to the approval of the City. 5. Grading plan is submitted and subject to the approval of the City Engineer. 6. Outdoor storage will be solely utilized for marine repair and inventory storage. Outdoor sales display of merchandise for sale or rent is prohibited within the confines of this outdoor storage area. Winter/seasonal storage is prohibited. 7. Business signage is compliant with B-3 District sign ordinance standards. 8. To ensure financial security, a development contract must be signed by the applicant equal to the cost of the fence and landscaping. No outdoor storage will be permitted on the subject site until the fence and landscaping are erected. 9. The applicant would be open to work with the City on installing some type of curb stop by June 30, 2006. Chair Leintz asked if anyone was present regarding the public hearing. Chair Leintz closed the public hearing at 7:15 p.m. MOTION BY Commission member Dorenbush, seconded by Commission member Meza to approve Pro-Tech marine Conditional Use Permit Outdoor Storage with the nine (9) conditions noted in the staffs recommendations and upon City Council approval at the January 3,2006 City Council meeting. Motion carried unanimously. MOBIL STATION COMPREHENSIVE SIGNAGE PLAN AMENDMENT Chair Leintz opened the public hearing at 7: 17 p.m. City Planner Brixius informed the Commission that the applicant, Duane Downey of Amtech Lighting, is seeking a comprehensive sign amendment to allow additional signage at the Mobil Station located at 11044 61 st Street NE within the Mooney Addition development. According to submitted materials, the applicant is requesting two (2) front wall signs, two (2) side wall signs, and one (1) pylon sign. The side wall and pylon signage replace existing signage and do not increase the square footage of signage and are permissible. The two (2) front wall signs are in addition to existing signage square footage and require an amendment to the comprehensive sign plan. The original comprehensive sign plan was approved through the Mooney Addition development in 1999. Included in this original comprehensive sign plan was the stipulation that no additional signs be permitted on the property unless approved by amending the sign plan which includes front wall signage. It is recognized that the current request for additional signage falls below B-3 District standards, but is nevertheless a deviation from the original comprehensive sign plan. According to NAC's records, a sign variance was requested by the Mooney Development Corporation in October 2000 and approved by the City. The variance granted flexibility to exceed 4 City of Albertville Planning & Zoning Commission Minutes December 13, 2005 Page 5 of6 the maximum letter size for the canopy signage and square footage of the pylon signage. The sign variance approval recognized that the site was not including front wall signage in favor of the larger signs elsewhere. Generally speaking, this variance allowed the Mobil Station to install standard sized signs instead of customized signage. City Planner Brixius concluded stating that these are the recommendations should the Planning and Zoning Commission approve the sign variance for Mobil. North Front Wall Signage. An amendment to the comprehensive sign plan is requested to permit the additional front wall signage. The original comprehensive sign plan stipulated that no additional signs be permitted on the property unless approved by amending the sign plan which includes front wall signage. It is our staffs opinion that the request for front wall signage is not favorable as all existing signage was approved and flexibility was granted through variance in 2000. It is recognized that the current request for additional signage falls below B-3 District standards, but is nevertheless a deviation from the original comprehensive sign plan. Our staff expresses concern that allowing an additional amendment to the comprehensive sign plan establishes precedent. East and West Side Wall Signage. The side wall signage replaces previously approved wall signage and falls below past square footage. Our staff recommends approval. pylon Signage. As the proposed pylon signage replaces existing signage and falls below the maximum allowable square footage granted through the variance in 2000, our staff recommends approval. Chair Leintz asked if anyone was present regarding the public hearing. Paul Mulberg was present to answer to the best of his ability any questions or concerns the Planning and Zoning staff may have regarding the sign variance request presented at tonight's meeting. Commission members asked the applicant ifthey brought any color renderings of how the signage would look. Mobil representative had samples of what the exterior of the building would look like. He also had pictures of the interior and some of the remodeling they have completed. The representative informed the commission members the original owners or developers ofthe site have sold the business. The new owners are Croix Oil which is a franchise business entity. The logo or motto is "On the Run", which they would like to advertise on the exterior of the building and why they have applied for the sign variance. If the commission members would take a look at the front side of the building located off of CR 19. The yellow strip is not actually signage, but instead of fascia. The half moon or round portion is the only portion that is the sign issue. It will be illuminated from the back. Chair Leintz closed the public hearing at 7:38 p.m. 5 City of Albertville Planning & Zoning Commission Minutes December 13,2005 Page 6 of6 MOTION BY Commission member Wagner, seconded by Commission member Dorenbush to approve the Mobil Station Comprehensive Signage Plan Amendment with staffs additional recommendation, including the Building Official's review, and City Council approval at the January 3, 2006 City Council meeting. Motion carried unanimously. OTHER BUSINESS ZONING ORDINANCE City Planner Brixius stated that upon staffs review ofthe 2005 charges revealed a need to update the fees and escrows for home occupations, land filling permits and land excavation and grading permits to cover the actual expenses incurred by the City in the processing ofthese applications. Other fees reviewed have been presented to the City Council with the exception ofthese few. The current Home Occupation Permit fee is $50.00, which would not cover the cost to inspect the site to ensure it meets the zoning ordinance or building code. MOTION BY Commission member Meza, seconded by Commission member Kocon to approve Ordinance No. 2005-08 regarding Zoning and other miscellaneous fees. Motion carried unanimously. ADJOURNMENT MOTION BY Commission member Meza, seconded by Commission member Wagner to adjourn at 7:50 p.m. Motion carried unanimously. ~.;( ,A:1; Sharon Leintz, Chair 6