HomeMy WebLinkAbout7/8/08
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Planning Commission
Minutes
Regular Meeting
July 8, 2008
1.
Call to Order
Chair Rotty called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
Members Present: Rotty, Stokes, Larson
Members Absent: Bonar, Barker
Also Present: Tony Wippler - Assistant City Planner, Lee Smick - City Planner
2.
Approval of Minutes
a) June 10, 2008 Meeting Minutes
MOTION by Stokes, second by Rotty to approve the June 10,2008 minutes. VOTING
FOR: Stokes, Rotty ABSTAINED: Larson, MOTION CARRIED.
3.
Public Hearings
a) Variance to allow the construction ofa monument sign within the required ten
foot (10') setback
Applicant: Christ Presbyterian Church
104 Elm Street
Farmington, MN 55024
The applicant has applied for a variance to encroach into the ten foot setback with a
monument sign at 104 Elm Street. The variance would be a nine and one half foot
encroachment, placing the sign about one half foot from the property line. There is an
existing sign on the site that does meet the required setback and runs parallel to Elm
Street. The existing sign does not afford the church the type of visibility that they desire
for the signage. The new sign would be double faced and would run perpendicular to
Elm Street. The sign would be fifty to sixty square feet in size. A picture has been
provided indicating roughly what the sign they are proposing would look like. If the
variance is approved, the applicant would need to submit the required detailed
information to obtain a sign permit. The location and type of sign proposed would
provide visibility from both the east and the west that they desire. The hardship in this
instance is a visibility hardship due to the existing setback of the church and the front
staircase. The sightline from Elm Street for the proposed sign is good and would not
obscure the view of traffic for adjacent driveway accesses. The maximum allowable size
for the sign would be 100 square feet, but the applicant has indicated that the sign they
intend to construct will only be six feet wide. The approval of the variance request would
be contingent upon the following:
1. Removal of the existing monument sign.
2. The applicant applying for and receiving approval for a sign permit.
MOTION by Larson, second by Stokes to close the public hearing. APIF, MOTION
CARRIED. MOTION by Stokes, second by Larson to approve the variance request
based on the stated contingencies. APIF, MOTION CARRIED.
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Planning Commission Minutes
July 8, 2007
Page 2
4.
Discussion
a) Annual Planned Unit Development Update
Staff is providing an annual review of all of the Planned Unit Developments
(PUD's) within the City. The City Code requires an annual review ofPUD's to
determine whether or not they have been closed out. There are currently five such
developments in the City of Farmington that remain open and still have available
lots. Once reviewed by the Planning Commission, the information will be
forwarded on to the City Council. MOTION by Larson, second by Stokes to
forward the report to the City Council. APIF, MOTION CARRIED.
b) Downtown Architectural Standards
At the February 11,2008 workshop regarding the delineation of the Downtown
Commercial District there was discussion pertaining to the development of design
standards for the area. The Historic Preservation Planning Consultant, Mr. Robert
Vogel drafted some preliminary standards for the district. Staff would like to
work with the Planning Commission, Economic Development Authority and
Historic Preservation Commission to develop the information further to make it
more specific. The Commissioners were in favor of adding more detail to the
standards but not adding more detail than is necessary. Staffwill attempt to set a
meeting will all of the boards to discuss the standards.
5.
Adjourn
MOTION by Larson, second by Stokes to adjourn. APIF, MOTION
CARRIED.
Respectfully submitted,
Approved
Lisa Dargis
Administrative Assistant