01-23-1989 CC MIN - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Page 3 Elk River City Council Meeting January 23. 1989 e 5.2. Security Financial Banking and Savings/Variance/Public Hearing Zoning Assistant. Steve Bjork. indicated that Security Financial Banking is requesing a variance from the sign ordinance to install a 57 square foot electronic message information center. The existing pylon sign has approximately 72 square feet of signage which currently exceeds the 64 square foot allowable signage. Planning Commission Representative. Peter Kimball. indicated that tbe Planning Commission voted to deny tbe request. as tbey felt that allowing tbe applicant to exceed tbe square footage allowance would set a precedent in tbe downtown area without a hardship. He furtber noted that tbe Planning Commission had denied similar requests in the past. Vice Mayor Schuldt opened tbe public bearing. Paul Ebner indicated bis support for tbe request. Rose Allison indicated ber support for tbe request. Elaine Anderson indicated she was against tbe request as it would ruin tbe aestbetics of tbe downtown area. e Councilmember Commissioners for a variance. Kropuenske indicated tbat the majority of the Planning felt the request did not meet tbe five standards required Dave Sbannon. representing the sign company. indicated that tbe City's square footage requirement for message centers is mucb too small. Mr. Shannon presented the Council with a redesigned version of the sign. He indicated they bave scaled down the sign considerably. but that it would still exceed the City's sign ordinance. Lori Langren. representative of Security Financial. indicated that Security Financial Banking finds tbis newly designed sign better tban tbe original. She indicated that tbe message center is a necessity to their business and also indicated that the message center would be used to display community events along with banking events. Building and Zoning Administrator. Steve Roblf. explained tbat the City's sign ordinance wasn't of question with this request. If the sign ordinance is too restrictive it should be addressed tbrougb an ordinance amendment. Also. he stated that the fact tbat the message center would include public service messages had no bearing on tbe variance and directed the Council to the five standards for granting a variance. Councilmember Kropuenske indicated tbat his concern with allowing the variance is that a precedent on Main Street will be set. e