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Home My WebLink About15-03-15 RESOLUTION NO. 15-03-15 CITY COUNCIL CITY OF OAK PARK HEIGHTS WASHINGTON COUNTY, MINNESOTA A RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING FINDINGS OF FACT AND RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL THAT THE REQUEST BY RADUENZ DEALERSHIP PROPERTIES LLC FOR SIGN VARIANCES AT THE STILLWATER MOTORS DEALERSHIP AT 5900 STILLWATER BOULEVARD NORTH BE APPROVED WITH CONDITIONS WHEREAS,the City of Oak Park Heights has received a request from Raduenz Dealership Properties LLC for sign variances at the Stillwater Motors Dealership at 5900 Stillwater Boulevard North; and after having conducted a public hearing relative thereto, the Planning Commission of Oak Park Heights recommended the request with conditions. The City Council of the City of Oak Park Heights makes the following findings of fact and resolution: I. The real property affected by said application is legally described as follows, to wit: SEE ATTACHMENT A and 2. The applicant has submitted an application and supporting documentation to the Community Development Department consisting of the following items: SEE ATTACHMENT B and 3. The property is zoned B-3 Highway Business and Warehouse District in which automobile dealerships are a listed conditional use permit; and 4. The City Council, at their January 13, 2015 meeting approved sign variances to allow an additional pylon sign (four total), to allow for a 40 foot sign where a 30 foot sign is allowed, to increase the allowable overall sign square footage to 760 square feet for the site, and to allow for a changeable copy sign (Option 4) that will not meet the allowable requirements; and 5. The application was approved with Option 4 as the additional freestanding sign and that the changeable copy portion of this sign be allowed to exceed the 35 percent requirement; and 6. At the January 13, 2015 City Council meeting, the Applicant asked the City Council to consider allowing an additional changeable copy sign on the Highway 36 frontage; and 7. The City Council approved the sign variances as recommended by the Planning Commission and referred the issue of an additional changeable copy sign to the Planning Commission; and 8. The Applicant provided plans for an additional changeable copy sign at the northwest corner of the Stillwater Motors property that would be 50 feet in height and 184 square feet maximum size. Additionally, the Applicant requested that the Collision Center freestanding sign and the Buick and Chevrolet wall signs remain as currently existing on site; and 9. City staff prepared a planning reports dated February 3, 2015 and March 5, 2015 reviewing the request; and 10. Said report recommended approval of the variance requests subject to a limitation on the height and amount of overall signage, and fulfillment of conditions; and 11. The Planning Commission held public hearings at their February 19, 2015 and March 12, 2015 meetings, took comments from the Applicants and public, and recommended approval of the application subject to conditions. The Planning Commission recommended that the changeable copy sign on the northwest corner of the site be limited to 40 feet in height, 160 square feet in size and applicant shall remove signage on site to no more than 760 square feet within a 24 month period from the date the changeable copy sign permit is issued. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL FOR THE CITY OF OAK PARK HEIGHTS THAT THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVES THE FOLLOWING: A. The application submitted by Raduenz Dealership Properties LLC for sign variances at the Stillwater Motors Dealership at 5900 Stillwater Boulevard North should be approved and affecting the real property as follows: SEE ATTACHMENT A The City Council of the City of Oak Park Heights approves the sign variances subject to the following findings of fact: 2 I. The variance criteria in Section 401.04 of the Zoning Ordinance have been reviewed and it has been determined by the Planning Commission that an additional changeable copy sign is justified. 2. Due to the location of this business and the site will have limited visibility from Highway 36, allowing less than a 40 foot sign could cause an undue hardship for the business and the ability of the customers to locate the building. 3. The additional sign height to 40 feet and a maximum of 160 square feet will ensure visibility and identification of the business from both east and west bound traffic on Highway 36. 4. The additional changeable copy sign shall reduce the requests for temporary signage at this site. The City Council approves the following subject to the conditions as follows: • Variances - To allow an additional changeable copy pylon sign greater than 150 square feet, to allow for a 40 foot sign where a 30 foot sign is allowed, to allow for a changeable copy sign that will not meet the maximum changeable copy requirements, and to have the Applicant remove signage within 24 months from issuing the sign permit for the changeable copy pylon sign so that the overall square footage of signage on site shall be no more than 760 square feet. 1. All conditions of the Conditional Use Permit and Variance for Raduenz Dealership Properties LLC approved July 26, 2005 and January 13, 2015 shall remain in effect. 2. The proposed changeable copy sign shall not exceed 40 feet in height and 160 square feet in sign face size. 3. The Applicant shall remove signage within 24 months from issuing the sign permit for the changeable copy pylon sign so that the overall square footage of signage on site shall be no more than 760 square feet. 4. The sign specifications and methods of illumination shall be subject to review and approval of the City Planner at the time of permitting. 5. A landscape plan for the area around the new sign shall be provided to the City and shall be subject to review and approval of the City Arborist. 3 Approved by the City Council of the City of Oak Park Heights this 24th day of March, 2015. Mary McCornber, Mayor ATTEST: Eri . J s ity Administrator 4 Attachment A Washington County GEO Code: 06.029.20.12.0021 & 06.029.20.12.0022 Legal Description: Lot 1, Bloch 1, Kern Center Physical Address: 5900 Stillwater Blvd. N. ATTACHMENT B VARIANCE Stillwater Motors 5900 Stillwater Blvd. N. Application Materials —As part of original application submittal • Application Form • Fees • Plan Sets (3 Large Scale Setsf20 11X17 Sets) • Written Narrative and Graphic Materials Explaining Proposal • Mailing List from Washington County(500' from subject property) • Proof of Ownership or Authorization to Proceed Planning Commission Public Hearing & Recommendation: March 12, 2015 Variance— Lapse of Approval: Unless the City Council specifically approves a different time when action is officially taken on the request, the variance shall become null and void twelve(12)months after the date of approval, unless the property owner or applicant has substantially started the construction of any building structure, addition or alteration, or use requested as part of this variance. The property owner shall have the right to submit an application to extend the approval of a variance to the Zoning Administrator not less than thirty(30) days before the expiration of said approval. (401.4.0 .1 —40L4.C.2)