5.6. PCSR 02-27-2024
Request for Action
To Item Number
Planning Commission 5.6
Agenda Section Meeting Date Prepared by
Public Hearings February 27, 2024 Zack Carlton, Community Development Director
Item Description Reviewed by
City of Elk River Chris Leeseberg, Senior Planner
Ordinance Amendment, Commercial Signage
Reviewed by
Along Highway 169, Case No. OA 23-07
Action Requested
Recommend, by motion, approval of the ordinance amendment changing the freestanding sign regulations for
certain properties along Highway 169.
Background/Discussion
The Planning Commission has held two work sessions regarding sign ordinance changes for properties along
Highway 169. These changes are proposed in response to the access and visibility changes resulting from the 169
Redefine project. The project has reduced highway visibility for some businesses and the changes would provide
property owners with an opportunity to improve visibility from the highway by installing a taller sign.
Staff recommend increasing the maximum sign height to 40-feet above the mainline elevation of Highway 169, with
a maximum height of 50-feet as measured from the sign base. In some instances, the elevation at the base of the
sign will be higher than the mainline elevation of Highway 169. In these cases, the sign height shall not exceed 40-
feet above the highway grade or 30-feet from the base of the sign, whichever is higher. The proposed amendment
includes the C-3 Highway Commercial and MU-ERP districts.
Unfortunately, many of the commercial properties along Highway 169 which would benefit from this amendment
are in Planned Unit Development (PUD) districts and the city cannot initiate an amendment to those standards.
Landowners within each PUD will need to request an amendment to their sign regulations and staff will use the
proposed amendment as a starting point for evaluating future requests.
Financial Impact
None
Mission/Policy/Goal
Support the Growth and Development of the Business Community
Attachments
Draft Ordinance Changes
Sign Exhibit
The Elk River Vision
A welcoming community with revolutionary and spirited resourcefulness, exceptional
service, and community engagement that encourages and inspires prosperity.
Updated: January 2023
Sec. 30-871. C-3 highway commercial district.
(a) Temporary signs as permitted in section 30-851 et seq.
(b) Permanent signs.
(1) Wall signs. Total wall sign area not to exceed 15 percent of façade area. Wall signs are
permitted on any façade that is not directly adjacent to a residential zone. Businesses in
multi-tenant facilities shall be allowed their proportionate share of permitted wall sign
area. For the purposes of this section a road shall constitute a separation of zones.
(2) One freestanding sign, not to exceed 150 square feet with a maximum height of 30 feet.
One freestanding sign may be permitted for every 300 feet of street frontage measured
along a single street. The frontage shall only include the property in which the principal
use is located on, which the sign is advertising. The additional sign(s) shall be subject to
the size and height limitations of the first allowed freestanding or monument sign and may
be placed no closer than 150 feet to any other freestanding or monument sign.
a. Freestanding signs located on parcels that abut Highway 169 may be constructed to a
maximum height of 40 feet as measured from the nearest point grade of the main
line of Highway 169, provided the sign meets all other criteria of this ordinance. A
parcel which, but for the location of an intervening frontage road between said
parcel and the freeway, shall be deemed to abut the highway. For all such parcels, the
sign may only be located in the yard which directly abuts the highway or frontage
road as applicable.
1. In locations where the grade at the base of the sign is lower than the
elevation of the adjacent Highway 169, the sign height shall not exceed 50-
feet in total height or higher than 40-feet above Highway 169.
2. In locations where the grade at the base of the sign is higher than 10-feet
above the elevation of the adjacent Highway 169, the sign height shall be
limited to 30-feet.
3. In locations where the grade at the base of the sign is lower than 10-feet
above the elevation of the adjacent Highway 169, the sign height shall not
exceed 40-feet above Highway 169.
(3) The sign area of freestanding signs may be increased 25 percent if the sign is constructed
as a monument sign.
(4) Area identification signs as permitted in section 30-865.
(5) One on-premises menu board per drive-up or walk-up lane of a drive-in restaurant or
carwash up to a maximum of 32 square feet each. Menu boards are allowed to have a
message on one side only and may not contain an advertising message.
(6) One on-premises pre-order board per drive thru lane up to a maximum of 20 square feet.
Pre-order boards are allowed to have a message on one side only and may not contain
advertising. Pre-order boards shall not have a speaker or communication system installed.
(7) Canopy signs on motor vehicle service stations.
Created: 2023-10-18 09:21:32 \[EST\]
(Supp. No. 59)
Page 1 of 3
a. In addition to wall signs, motor vehicle service stations shall be allowed two canopy
signs.
b. The total area of each canopy sign shall not exceed 32 square feet.
(8) Advertising signs (billboards), subject to the following:
a. Prohibited within 100 feet of the intersection of the highway right-of-way and any
other right-of-way or driveway.
b. Prohibited within 1,200 feet of another advertising sign on the same side of the right-
of-way.
c. Shall be erected with a single pole or mono-pole structural standard and shall have
underground wiring.
d. The base of any advertising sign must be landscaped to prevent erosion and noxious
weeds and must be properly maintained.
e. Shall not exceed 400 square feet in area and 35 feet in height, as measured
perpendicularly from the highest point of the sign structure to the nearest road grade.
f. Shall be considered a principal use of the property. Existing advertising signs must be
removed when the parcel upon which they are situated is devoted to another
principal use.
g. Shall only be allowed in C-3 zoned property adjacent to rights-of-way for State
Highways 10 and 169.
(c) Changeable copy signs as permitted in section 30-864.
(Ord. No. 09-06, § 2, 7-20-2009; Ord. No. 13-19, § 2, 12-16-2013; Ord. No. 16-07, § 2, 4-18-2016)
Editor's note(s)—Section 2 of Ord. No. 13-19, adopted Dec. 16, 2013, renumbered and amended
former § 30-870 as § 30-871.
Editor's note(s)—Ord. No. 16-07, § 1, adopted April 18, 2016, renumbered § 30-871(b)(6), (b)(7) as
(b)(7), (b)(8).
Sec. 30-881. MU-ERP mixed use Elk River Plaza district.
(a) Signage.
(1) Temporary signs as permitted in section 30-851 et seq.
(2) Permanent signs.
a. Wall signs. Total wall sign area not to exceed 15 percent of facade area. Wall signs are
permitted on any facade that is not directly adjacent to a residential zone. Businesses
in multi-tenant facilities shall be allowed their proportionate share of permitted wall
sign area. For the purposes of this section a road shall constitute a separation of
zones.
Created: 2023-10-18 09:21:32 \[EST\]
(Supp. No. 59)
Page 2 of 3
b. One freestanding sign, not to exceed 100 square feet along a collector street or 150
feet along an arterial street. Max height of ten feet along a collector street or 30 feet
along an arterial street.
1. Freestanding signs located on parcels that abut Highway 169 may be
constructed to a maximum height of 40 feet as measured from the nearest
point grade of the main line of Highway 169, provided the sign meets all
other criteria of this ordinance. A parcel which, but for the location of an
intervening frontage road between said parcel and the freeway, shall be
deemed to abut the highway. For all such parcels, the sign may only be
located in the yard which directly abuts the highway or frontage road as
applicable.
a. In locations where the grade at the base of the sign is lower than the
elevation of the adjacent Highway 169, the sign height shall not
exceed 50-feet in total height or higher than 40-feet above Highway
169.
b. In locations where the grade at the base of the sign is higher than 10-
feet above the elevation of the adjacent Highway 169, the sign height
shall be limited to 30-feet.
c. In locations where the grade at the base of the sign is lower than 10-
feet above the elevation of the adjacent Highway 169, the sign height
shall not exceed 40-feet above Highway 169.
c. Two permanent area identification signs per neighborhood, subdivision, or
development, one not to exceed 64 square feet with a maximum height of 20 feet,
the second not to exceed 50 square feet with a maximum height of 12 feet. The area
identification signs shall be located on the same premises as the development they
identify.
d. One on-premises menu board per drive-up or walk-up lane of a drive-in restaurant
or carwash up to a maximum of 32 square feet each. Menu boards are allowed to
have a message on one side only and may not contain an advertising message.
e. One on-premises pre-order board per drive thru lane up to a maximum of 20 square
feet. Pre-order boards are allowed to have a message on one side only and may not
contain advertising. Pre-order boards shall not have a speaker or communication
system installed.
(Ord. No. 16-10, § 2, 5-16-2016)
Created: 2023-10-18 09:21:33 \[EST\]
(Supp. No. 59)
Page 3 of 3
193rd Ave Area
X
O
7
Max Ceiling Above
Main Line Highway 169*
Main Line
Highway 169
Main Street Area
197th Ave Area
0
*Exception