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<br /> Visit us on the web at www.erstarnews.com • Wednesday, January 5, 2000/ Elk River Star News /5
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<br /> FRE Business owners sa sign
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<br /> ordinance is too stringent
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<br /> �z i ; by Jim Boyle f,,
<br /> 4 t :04;01W.'"',.'"' Staff writer <
<br /> ' '. - Business at Dairy Queen
<br /> booms in the summer, especial- _ _
<br /> ly when the temperatures soar „-, •„:::,
<br /> into the 70s and 80s. ¢, ,u,•. , r i
<br /> In the winter, when tempera- - .` t
<br /> Itures drop into the teens and , ; 't-,7 G ” t
<br />`�
<br /> single digits —it needs a boost. }y'
<br /> "People seem to forget about ! _,
<br /> us on nights like this," Scott ' i _
<br /> Mitchell, the owner of the Elk
<br /> River Dairy Queen, told mem-
<br /> bers of the Elk River City
<br /> Council on a recent wintery
<br /> night.
<br /> thawMitchell has found a sign out
<br /> front of his store with specials Charlie Houle of Houle Oil in Elk River posts this sign to attract3922listed on it gives his business help at his gas station and convenience store.An ordinance Iim
<br /> just the boost it needs. its the size of the sign and the how often it's up.
<br /> Charlie Houle,owner of Houle ' ' ' .
<br /> lge Ave., Oil,"struggles to find applicants Commission starting with a a mess of portable signs or a
<br />[iVei . • for his gas station and conve- workshop in February to which great downtown and tasteful
<br /> ,' thence store.A help wanted sign Mitchell, Houle and other busi- development?" McPherson
<br /> out front brings them in and ness owners will be invited to asked.
<br /> venient locations: he's able to stay on topof the take part in. Safety is another reason for
<br /> e St. No. • 263-3262 employee turnover that comes Michele McPherson,the direc- the ordinance. If the city starts
<br /> with his business. for of planning, says she is not allowing businesses to, park
<br /> 389-3126 The only problem for these opposed to making some revi- signs in rights of way,there are
<br />'1: 497-2367 two businessmen with their ,sions to the sign ordinance,but going to be safety hazards for
<br /> signs is the city's sign ordinance she doesn't want the purpose of motorists and pedestrians, not
<br /> iie prohibits them from using the a "sign ordinance lost in the to mention problems with signs
<br /> signs the way they would like shuffle. being in the way of utility work,
<br /> to. They have in the past, but The sign ordinance exists to McPherson said.
<br /> n,- ; � •,-t,; ,„0, the city is enforcing the city's prevent visual blight and to pro- City Council Member Paul •
<br /> wee ,„ 4. 4temporary sign ordinance now' ' tett safety concerns ' raised Motin agrees that its one thing
<br /> e "u 4, \ `,' „,% that it has the resources to when vision is obstructed by to have some signs around ,
<br /> 4 investigate violators. The citysigns,she said. town.But once you start having
<br /> has also worked with sign corn- As the city has grown, the a line of businesses with them
<br /> a'� s v� panics to make the cities ordi- number of temporary signs has out all the time,he would start
<br /> if
<br /> ,, r
<br /> -''', , ' nances clear to them so they grown. With'the crackdown'on to have a problem with it.
<br /> .:„ Y , don't mislead their customers.' ' the ordinance,'McPherson said McPherson says it's crucial to
<br /> The temporary sign ordinance the city will keep the city from. be consistent and,to avoid hav-
<br /> W. limits the size of temporary looking cluttered. ing to constantly deal with vari-
<br /> signs to 4-by-8-feet or 32-square "Drive to the Wisconsin Dells ante requests.
<br /> `',0„ '" feet as well as the length of time and the reason for the ordi- Mayor Stephanie Klinzing
<br /> ` �'` r they can be up. nance ' becomes obvious," said the city must inject corn-
<br /> The matter was before the Elk McPherson said, noting that mon sense into the matter, and
<br /> , §- i River City Council on Dec. 20, there is no sign ordinance there.' look at variance requests when
<br /> • " " and it now will be worked ' "Part of it is what do you want they arise.
<br /> 1,Vi t through the Elk River Planning your city to be remembered for
<br /> 0 5 ''f I ; Police to host 10-week citizen academy
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