7.4. SR 08-19-2019 ��i
Eof
lk — - Request for Action
River
To Item Number
Mayor and City Council 7.4
Agenda Section Meeting Date Prepared by
Public Hearinj lAugust 19, 2019 Zack Carlton,Planning Manager
Item Description Reviewed by
Ordinance Amendment: Non-Residential Signage in Chris Leeseber , Senior Planner
Residential Districts Reviewed by
Cal Portner, City Administrator
Action Requested
Adopt,by motion,an amendment to the sign ordinance regarding non-residential uses in residential
districts.
Background/Discussion
Case No. OA 19-07
The City Council directed staff to evaluate a possible ordinance amendment to allow non-residential uses
(churches and schools) in residential districts to place a permitted sign across a city street when the lots
are under the same ownership. The change would only allow additional opportunities/locations for
placement of signs, and would not expand the number or size of signs allowed for each use.The current
limit is one freestanding sign up to 96 square feet and 20 feet in height.
The city code currently defines a zoning lot as:
Zoning lot means a parcel of land occupied or used or intended for occupancy or use for a purpose
identified in article VI of this chapter and identified as such for the purposes of zero lot line
development. The parcel shall abut a public street and shall be of sufficient size to satisfy and
meet all dimensional regulations required by article VI of this chapter. The designated zoning lot
may encompass more than one lot of record and shall serve as a unified development site for
purposes of application of standards.
The last sentence allows property owners of adjacent parcels to combine them for zoning purposes
(building permits, signs,use, etc.) and the suggested change below would extend that opportunity to
nonresidential uses in residential districts.
The proposed change to Sec. 30-879 (d) reads:
d) For permitted nonresidential uses, such as churches, synagogues, and schools, in residentially
zoned areas, one on-premises, freestanding sign and one wall sign, not to exceed 96 square
feet in total sign area. Where a Zoning Lot has in excess of 1,000 linear feet of combined
street frontage, the total sign area shall not exceed 192 square feet with no more than 96
square feet per sign. Freestanding signage shall not exceed 20 feet in height.
(1) For the purpose of this section, Zoning Lots shall include vacant commonly held parcels
across city streets.
The Elk River Vision
A welcoming community with revolutionary and spirited resourcefulness, exceptional p Q w E A E o s r
service, and community engagement that encourages and inspires prosperity /` UR
2 Signs authorized under this section must be removed upon sale of the parcel or when the
Zoning Lot is dedicated to another use.
Planning Commission
The Commission initially had concerns regarding the potential proliferation of signs and in writing
ordinances for one user or group. The proposed amendment does not allow more or larger signs,but
expands opportunities for placement of already permitted signs. Any increase to the number of signs, sign
area, or sign height would need approval of a variance. The ordinance would apply to all religious and
educational uses in residential zoning districts,not just churches.
With the understanding that the change would not allow more signs than currently permitted,the
Commission unanimously recommended approval. No comments for or against the request have been
received since.
Financial Impact
None
Attachments
■ Planning Commission Packet dated July 23, 2019
■ Ordinance
Request for Action
To ItemNumber
Planning Commission 4.5
Agenda Section Meeting Date Preparedby
Public Hearings July23, 2019 ZackCarlton, Planning Manager
ItemDescription Reviewedby
OrdinanceAmendment ChrisLeeseberg, SeniorPlanner
ReviewedbyNon-Residential Signage inResidential
Districts, CaseNo. OA 19-07
ActionRequested
Recommend, bymotion, approval of an ordinance amendment to thesign ordinance fornon-residential
usesinresidential districts.
Background/Discussion
TheCityCouncil directedstafftoevaluate apossibleordinanceamendmenttoallownon-residential uses
churches andschools) in residentialdistricts toplace apermittedsignacross acitystreetwhenthe lots
are underthe sameownership. Thechangewouldonlyallow additional opportunities/locations for
placement ofsigns, andwouldnotexpand the numberorsizeofsigns allowed foreachuse. The current
limitisone freestanding signupto96squarefeet and20feetinheight.
Thecitycode currently definesazoninglotas:
Zoninglot meansa parceloflandoccupied orused orintendedfor occupancyoruse forapurpose
identified inarticle VI ofthischapter andidentified assuchforthe purposes ofzerolotline
development. Theparcelshallabutapublic streetandshallbeofsufficient sizeto satisfy and
meet alldimensionalregulations requiredbyarticleVIofthis chapter. The designated zoninglot
mayencompassmorethanone lotofrecord andshall serveasaunified development site for
purposes ofapplication ofstandards.
Thelastsentence allowsproperty ownersof adjacent parcelstocombinethem forzoningpurposes
buildingpermits, signs, use, etc.) andthe suggested changebelow wouldextend that opportunityto
nonresidentialusesinresidential districts.
Theproposed change to Sec. 30-879 (d) reads:
d) Forpermitted nonresidential uses, suchaschurches, synagogues, andschools, inresidentially
zonedareas, one on-premises freestandingsignandonewallsign, notto exceed 96square
feetintotalsignarea. Wherea Zoning Lothasinexcessof1,000linear feetofcombined
streetfrontage, thetotalsign areashallnotexceed 192squarefeet withnomorethan96
squarefeet persign. Freestanding signage shallnotexceed 20feetinheight.
1) Forthepurpose ofthissection, ZoningLotsshallinclude vacant commonly held parcels
acrosscitystreets.
2) Signs authorizedunderthissectionmust beremoved uponsaleoftheparcelorwhenthe
Zoning Lotis dedicatedtoanotheruse.
The ElkRiver Vision
Awelcomingcommunity withrevolutionary andspirited resourcefulness, exceptional
service, andcommunity engagement thatencourages andinspires prosperity
WorkSessions
TheCityCouncilandthePlanning Commission discussed thispotential amendment during twoseparate
worksessions. ThePChadconcernsregarding thepotential proliferationofadditional signsandwriting
ordinances foroneuseror group.
Theproposed amendment doesnotallow moreorlarger signs, but expands opportunitiesforplacement
ofalready permittedsigns. Anyincrease tothenumber ofsigns, signarea, orsignheight wouldneed
approval ofavariance. Theordinance would applytoallreligious andeducational usesin residential
zoningdistricts, notjustchurches.
FinancialImpact
None
Attachments
None
Stfikethfoughs to be removed
Underlines to be added
VA
City of
Elk -�-�
River
Ordinance 19 -
An Ordinance Amending Section 30-879, Residential Districts, of the City of Elk
River, Minnesota, City Code
The City Council of the City of Elk River does hereby ordain as follows:
SECTION 1. That§ 30-879 (d), Residential Districts, of the City of Elk River Code of Ordinances
shall be amended to read as follows:
d) For permitted nonresidential uses, such as churches, synagogues, and schools, in residentially
zoned areas, one on-premises freestanding sign and one wall sign, not to exceed 96 square
feet in total sign area. Where a Zoning Lot has in excess of 1,000 linear feet of combined
street frontage, the total sign area shall not exceed 192 square feet with no more than 96
square feet per sign. Freestanding signage shall not exceed 20 feet in height.
(1) For the purpose of this section, Zoning Lots shall include vacant commonly held parcels
across city streets.
(2) Signs authorized under this section must be removed upon sale of the parcel or when the
Zoning Lot is dedicated to another use.
SECTION 4. That this ordinance shall take effect upon adoption and be published as provided by
law.
Passed and adopted by the City Council of the City of Elk River this 19th day of August, 2019.
John J. Dietz,Mayor
ATTEST:
Tina Allard, City Clerk
P 0 w I R I U 0 Y
Last Updated January 2019 litmaAfVR