HomeMy WebLinkAbout2004-11-10 Fully Executed CUP DocumentCITY OF OAK PARK HEIGHTS
SIGN VARIANCE
FOR
PRUDENTIAL INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT
AND KOWALSHI'S
Planners Pile No.: 798.02 -04.13
Legal Description: (Washington County Geo. Code 0602920110011)
Lots 2, Block 1, oak Park Ponds Addition
Owner: Prudential Insurance Cora an of Arnerica
Applicant: Prudential Investment Management lvislon of Owner
.Address: 180 North Stetson St
Suite 3275
Two prudential Plaza
Chicago, Illinois 60601-6716
Site Address: 5801 NEAL AVE.
OAK PARK HEIGHTS, MN 55082
Present .Zoning. District: B -2
Permitted uses set forth in Ordinance 401 Section. 401.30
Date Issued: November 10 2004
VARLA,NCE PERMIT Dolt:
A signage variance is required to allow Starbucks, which is to be located in Kowalski's Market, to
advertise on the west and north facades of the building in combination with the proposed Kowalski's signage.
The request is to allow two additional wall signs on two separate facades of the building.
Pursuant to the Application:
1. The applicant proposes to increase the number of signs for .owalski's /Starbucks signage to four signs
from the allowable two signs. Two signs will be on the west fagade and two signs will be placed on the
north fagade.
2. The total requested square footage of signage is significantly less than what is allowed by the Zoning
Ordinance.
3. The overpass of Highway 36 and Highway 5 provides a significant visibility barrier for businesses in
Oak Park Ponds Shopping Center, resulting in a hardship for advertising this location.
4. Kowalski's and Starbucks are two separate entities within the same retail space not resulting in a multi -
tenant condition for calculating allowable signage.
The Variance Permit was approved by the City Council of the City of Oak Park Heights on November 10, 2004
with the following conditions:
1. The curb lines of the parking lot shall be restored to the original approved layout (prior to the location of
the gas station), subject to review and approval of the City Engineer.
2. The landscape plan is subject to review and approval of the City Arborist.
3. The Planning Commission recommends and the City Council approves the use of the decorative light
fixture on the building facade.
4. The building elevations are approved as proposed in the building plans in that the facades will be
consistent with the intent of the Design Standards.
5. The trash dumpsters shall be stored within the trash enclosures at all times within the shopping center
development.
6. The projection flood lighting attached to the parking lot light poles shall be removed and not utilized
within the shopping center.
II. Deference Attachment:
The recommendations of the City Planner as adopted by the City Council are annexed hereto be reference.
Balance of this page is left intentionally blank
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have set forth their hands and seals.
Date:
Date:.
Date:''
OF OAK GHTS
B
David Beaudet
1 j
too
Eric Jclhmon
Cit Wdministrator
PRUDENTIAL INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT
B
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EXHIBIT "A"
Planner's Report
October 28, 2004
0001F �.li..r... 1 ASSOCIATED
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4800 Olson Memorial Highway, Suite 202, Golden Valley, MN 55422
Telephone: 763.231.2555 Facsimile: 763.231.2561 planners@�nacplanning.com
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To: Edc Johnson
FROM: Scott Richards
DATE: October 28, 2004
RE; Oak Park Heights — Kowalski's Market — Site Plan, Design
Standards Review, and S ig nage Val riance
FILE NO: 798.02 — 04.
BACKGROUND
Kowalski's Market has made application for a site plan review, Design Standards
review, and signage variance for the former Rainbow Foods store located at the Oak
Park Ponds Shopping center on 58 street and Meal ,Avenue North. Kowalski's will
remodel approximately two-thirds of the Rainbow store space for a full service grocery
and deli. The secondary tenant has yet to be identified. The proposed changes to the
site and building are primarily in the front/west fagade of the building. The parking lot in
front of the store will not be changed.
The site plan review will focus on the building frontage with the changes to the curb line
and the additional landscaping that will be added. Design standards review is confined
to the front of the building and to a portion of the northwest corner in which a new
fa ade will be constructed. The secondary tenant space will also be improved with a
new facade.
A signage variance is requested to allow starbucks, which will be located in the
Kowalski's Market, to advertise on the west and north facades of the building in
combination with the proposed Kowalski's signage. The applicants have proposed
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updating the existing pylon signage in conformance with the Zoning Ordinance signage
allowances.
Attached for reference:
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Exhibit 1: Site Plan and Details /Landscaping
Exhibit 2: Building Elevations and Sign Plan
Exhibit 3. Proposed Floor Plan
Exhibit 4: Lighting Details
ISSUES ANALYSIS
Pro ject Background and Information. The Rainbow Foods and oak Park Ponds
a rovals were granted in 1997. At that time, the City granted variances
d evelopment pp
to
n allow for the Rainbow wall signs and the three monument signs for the development.
, with � �
o lon si n was in conformance with the sign requirements in place at that
The py lon �
tam
e. In 2001, a conditional use permit, an amendment to the planned unit
develop �
to ment and a sign variance was granted to allow the construction of a fuel service
cente p arking r in the arkin lot in front of the Rainbow Foods stare. Following the closure of
the Rainbow Foods store, the fuel service station and tanks were removed and the
parking
lot was restored. The conditional use permit has expired for the fuel .station and
signage allowances.
Comprehensive Plan. The Proposed Land Use Map guides the subject property for
commercial use.
Zoning. . The site is zoned PUD, Planned Unit Development. The PUD, as approved, utilizes the B-2, General Business District as the basis for land use and performance
lards approvals. Retail sales is a permitted use of that district. The original PUD
scan pp .
also o allowed for outdoor garden and landscape sales. That would be carved through for
the proposed Kowalski's application.
Parking
/Access. /Access. The oak Park Ponds shopping Center was originally constructed
w w ith - a total of 61 parking stalls. When the fuel station was constructed, 32 paving
st alls were lost. Additionally, the seasonal garden center occupies approximately 50
stalls. With restoration of the parking lot after the fuel station removal, the stall count is
back to 611 stalls. A total of 443 stalls are required by Zoning ordinance for the Oak
P ark Ponds development. There are no parking issues with replacement of the
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Rainbow Foods store with a Kowalski's Market and the additional tenant retail space.
The City Engineer has recommended that the curb line in the parking lot be restored to
its original configuration before the fuel station was constructed. Currently, there is a
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jog in the drive lane that should be corrected. The site plans should be revised and the
parking arkin lot changes subject to review and approval of the City Engineer.
Site Changes/Front ' of Building. The site plan for Kowalski's front entrance includes
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a change 'in the curb line, a new sidewalk treatment, and landscape beds. Additionally,
an exterior sittin g area will be provided as well as a seasonal floral safes area. All of the
proposed components will provide a more attractive entrance to the store which will be
p com p
consistent with the Design Standards.
The landscape plans are subject to review and approval of the City Arborist.
Lighting. The elevations of the building indicate the addition of decorative light
fixtures. Exhibit 4 indicates the proposed fixture style. The planning Commission and
C g �/ Counc ' il should comment on tie fixture in that it does not comply with the full cut off
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requirements of the Zoning ordinance. The City Council could allow the fixture under
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the provisions for architectural light fixtures (Section 401-15.B.7) in that their purpose is
decorative and not to provide significant site lighting.
signage. The Kowalski's store would be allowed, by ordinance, two wall signs, each
on different facades, with a total of 500 square feet of total signage. The elevation
plans indicate the total proposed signage of the west fagade would be 77 square feet;
on the north it would be 55 square feet.
The applicants are requesting two separate signs for each of the two facades, thus
requiring the sign variance. Two signs will advertise Kowalski's, the other two would
advertise Starbucks coffee. The tenant space would also be allowed one wall sign with
up to 500 square feet of signage, although it is unlikely that the future tenant would
request that amount.
As part of the Kowalski's redevelopment, United Properties has proposed updating the
existing pylon sign for the shopping center. Kowalski's Signage will be featured on the
pylon as will the second tenant. The sign will be increased to 40 feet in height and the
total signage would be approximately 196 square feet in compliance. with the
Destination Retail Highway Sign District allowances. The pylon sign will be developed
with a landscaped planter base. The sign would be in compliance with all of the si
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Ordinance requirements.
Section 401.04.A ■5 of the Zoning ordinance states that a variance from the terms of this
ordinance shall not be granted unless it is demonstrated that:
a. Undue hardship will result if the variance is denied due to the existence of special
conditions and circumstances which are peculiar to the land, structure, or building
involved and which are not applicable to other lands, structures or buildings in the
same district.
b. Literal interpretation of the provisions of this ordinance would deprive the applicant
of rights commonly enjoyed by other properties in the same district under the terms
of this ordinance or deny the applicant the ability to put the property in question to a
reasonable use.
c. The special conditions and circumstances causing the undue hardship do not result
from the actions of the applicant.
d. Granting the variance requested will not confer on the applicant any special privilege
that is denied by this ordinance to other lands, structures or buildings in the same
district under the same conditions.
e. The request is not a result of non - conforming lands, structures or buildings in the
same district.
f. The request is not a use variance.
g. The variance requested is the minimum variance necessary to accomplish the
intended purpose of the applicant.
h. The request does not create an inconvenience to neighboring properties and uses.
The applicant is proposing to increase the number of signs for Kowalski's /Starbucks to
four instead of the allowable two. The total requested size of signage is significantl
less than what is allowed by ordinance. The City has, in the past, granted a variance to
Rainbow to allow additional size and number of signs to address the lack of visibility of
the shopping center. The overpass of highway 36 and 5 provides a significant visible
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barrier for businesses in this shopping center, thus justifying a variance for number
of
signs.
Design standards Review. The Design standards require that office and commercial
buildings contain at least three Grade 1 materials and be at least 65 percent Grade 1 0
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Grade 11 materials. Glass must make up at least 20 percent of the building a de.
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proposed fagade for Moth tenants will have Grade I materials consisting f brick lass
g brick, copper, totaling 60.7 percent Qf the total fagade. Glass will total 36 percent of the
total fagade. Staff finds the redesign in keeping with the overall standards and a
positive upgrade to the previous fagade. The city council can approve an variation
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from the prescribed Design Standards requirements.
Loading/Trash Enclosures. The existing .loading dock for product delivery and
trashlrecycling removal will remain as is for the Kowalski's Market. For the seconda
tenant space, trash enclosures have been provided at the rear of the structure but they
are rarely used. The city will require the tenants of the retail center to utilize the trash
enclosures for the durnpsters. The city staff will work with United Properties to assure
that this is complied with.
CONCLUSION/RECOMMENDATION
Based upon the preceding review, city staff recommends that the following requests g e q �
approved for the farmer Rainbow Foods store located at the Oak Park Ponds Shopping
n pp ng
�
Center on 5 Street and Neal Avenue North:
® Site Flan Review
Design Standards compliance
Signage' variance for Number of Signsr
With the following conditions:
` - The curb lines of the parking lot be restored to the or la out sub's
y su to
review and approval of the city Engineer.
2. The landscape plan is subject to review and approval of the City Arborist.
3. The Planning commission recommends and the City ouncil approves th
� pp e use
of the decorative light future on the building fagade.
4. The building elevations are approved as proposed in the building plans in
. g p that the
facades will be consistent with the intent of the Design Standards.
5. The trash dumpsters shall be stared within the trash enclosures at all time .
s within
the shopping center development.
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