HomeMy WebLinkAbout1990-02-17 NAC Memo to OPH Re Meetings Update F N Northwest Associated Consultants, Inc.
AC U R B A N P L A N N I N G D E S I G N M A R K E T R E S E A R C H
FILE COPY
MEMORANDUM
TO: Oak Park Heights Mayor and City Council
FROM: Curtis Gutoske
DATE: 17 February 1990
RE: Oak Park Heights - St. Croix Mall
FILE NO: 798.02 - 88.28
This memorandum is to give you an update on the meetings held
this week between Mr. Henning, myself and the LeSalon and MGM
Liquor Warehouse representatives regarding their proposed sign
requests.
LeSalon
This meeting was held on the afternoon of Tuesday, February 13th.
The LeSalon owner stated that she would like her existing sign to
remain through her lease option (6/30/96). She indicated that
she was already compromised in this situation. With the front
entrance of her business being closed, she has been forced to
make interior improvements (wallpaper, flooring /carpeting,
lighting and electrical) which is to cost in the thousands of
dollars. This is not an expense the Mall owners are picking up.
Taking away her sign would harm the business on top of the
expenses already being forced upon her. In addition, she feels
there should be some recognition by the City of LeSalon
maintaining a viable and growing business for the community
while the rest of the Mall has not been as successful.
While the City can be considerate and appreciative of her
business situation, all of her stated compromises are with the
St. Croix Mall owners and not the City. I proposed a compromise
that could be made with the City. This compromise would be to
have the sign removed after the expiration of the initial lease
(6/30/91). Thereby the City would be compromising by allowing
the sign to remain without the business having an exterior public
entrance and LeSalon would be compromising by agreeing to the
shorter time duration. This was not agreeable on her part. She
would rather have the PUD amended to put her exterior entrance
back in, thus allowing the existence of her sign through 1996.
4601 Excelsior Blvd. • Suite 410 - Minneapolis, MN 55416.(612) 925 -9420 • Fax 925 -2721
In summary, the LeSalon situation comes down to a policy
determination to be made by the Council. The Council must decide
if it wants to allow the sign to exist through 1996 via the PUD
provisions or if it wants the sign removed in accordance with the
strict provisions of the Code and deal with the possible
resulting actions taken by the Mall owners and LeSalon.
MGM Liquor Warehouse
Mr. Henning, myself, and two MGM representatives met to discuss
their sign situation on the afternoon of Friday, February 16th.
This meeting unveiled a surprisingly cooperative attitude by the
MGM officials. They were not as "hardened" in their position
regarding their existing sign as Mr. Henning may have eluded to
at the previous Council meeting. In this light, I offered them
the City's position of an awning /canopy sign, similar to those
proposed for Hardware Hank and Snyder Bros., being acceptable
given the closure of their exterior door and removal of their
existing sign. They indicated that this proposal would be taken
into consideration although they would have to see it as a formal
proposal by the Mall owners. Apparently, Mr. Henning has not
made a legitimate proposal to MGM for this type of sign where
illustrations and dimensions of the awning /canopy sign have been
presented to MGM.
As a result of this situation, I have suggested to Mr. Henning
that this type of proposal be made to MGM and that a written
response from them stating their position be received so that the
Council may review it at the 26 February meeting. If MGM is in
favor of a new sign, it would appear this problem would be
resolved. However, if MGM is opposed to a new sign, then a
similar situation would exist as in the LeSalon case where the
Council must decide what is to happen with the existing sign and
what actions may follow by the developer.
If there are any questions you may have prior to the upcoming
Council meeting regarding these matters, please do not hesitate
to call. I will be out of the office until February 23rd but you
may talk to David Licht, who is well informed of the situation.
cc: LaVonne Wilson
Lyle Eckberg
Mark Vierling