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<br />Request for Action <br /> <br /> <br />To Item Number <br />Planning Commission 7.1 <br />Agenda Section Meeting Date Prepared by <br />Work Session June 25, 2019 Zack Carlton, Planning Manager <br />Item Description Reviewed by <br />Concept Review: Ordinance Amendment for Elk Chris Leeseberg, Senior Planner <br />River Baptist Church, Case No. CR 19-04 <br />Reviewed by <br /> <br /> <br />Action Requested <br />Discuss an ordinance amendment regarding potential changes to the sign ordinance. <br /> <br />Background/Discussion <br />The applicant, Elk River Baptist Church, requests consideration of an ordinance amendment to allow <br />religious uses to place signs on vacant lots. Ordinance currently classifies these types of signs as off- <br />premises advertising signs, billboards, and they are only permitted in the C-3 (Highway Commercial), and <br />I-1 and I-2 (Light and Medium Industrial) zoning districts. <br /> <br />Council Work Session <br />The City Council discussed this item during their June 17, 2019, regular meeting and directed staff to <br />evaluate how the request could be accommodated with an ordinance amendment. One of the topics <br />discussed was creation of a definition for a “zoning lot” which would allow certain uses to include <br />adjacent lots under the same ownership: <br /> <br />Lot, Zoning: A parcel of land that is designated by its owner at the time of applying for a building <br />permit as one lot, all of which is to be used, developed, or built upon as a unit under single <br />ownership. Such lot may consist of a single recorded lot or a combination of complete recorded lots. <br />A zoning lot may cross a city street, but may not cross county or state maintained roads or highways. <br /> <br />As an example, the change would allow a freestanding sign for a church to be placed on an adjacent, <br />vacant lot, under the same ownership. No additional signs would be allowed, but it provides more <br />flexibility when placing a new sign. <br /> <br />Staff suggests limiting size and height to the current standards for non-residential uses, and classifying <br />them as a principal use – the same way billboards are currently regulated. That means if the lot was <br />dedicated to another use, single-family home for example, the sign must be removed. <br /> <br />Financial Impact <br />None <br /> <br />Attachments <br /> City Council packet dated June 17, 2019 <br /> <br />The Elk River Vision <br />A welcoming community with revolutionary and spirited resourcefulness, exceptional <br />service, and community engagement that encourages and inspires prosperity <br />