7.6 SR 06-16-2025 - Laserfiche WebLink

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April 28, 2025 Zack Carlton, Community Development Director City of Elk River 13065 Orono Parkway Elk River, MN 55330 Via Email and Online zcarlton@ElkRiverMN.gov Re: Change of Nonconforming Use – 16723 US-10 Dear Mr. Carlton: We represent Security Bank and Trust, Trustee of the Doris Specht and the Erwin T. Specht Trust (the “Applicant”), the owner of the parcel at 16723 US-10 (“Property”). On behalf of the Applicant, we are seeking City Council approval to alter and relocate certain legal nonconforming signs on the Property located along Highway 10 near Specht Lane in Elk River, Minnesota (“Project”). The billboards are currently legally nonconforming due to their proximity to one another, which does not comply with the current sign regulations. The Project seeks to substantially reduce the number of signs on and around the Property and reconstruct a smaller number of modern, uniform signs in greater conformity with the City Code and community standards. Proposed Project There are currently 21 billboard structures around the Property along Highway 10, 14 of which are located on the south side of Highway 10 and seven are located on the north side of Highway 10 on the Property. The billboards vary in size, height, and spacing, creating a cluttered and inconsistent visual appearance along the highway corridor. The Project proposes to remove all 14 sign structures on the south side of the highway and replace the seven sign structures on the north side with four new back-to-back billboards on the Property, evenly spaced. The new signs would have a smaller footprint and a more streamlined design. The Project would result in a net reduction of 17 sign structures, 20 sign faces, and 4,291 square feet of signage. The new sign structures would be spaced approximately 350 feet from one another, instead of the current spacing which ranges from 219 to 227 feet on the north side of Highway 10. The Project brings the nonconforming use of the billboards to greater conformity with the City’s sign regulations and promotes the intent of the ordinance to reduce visual clutter, enhance safety and aesthetics, and support the character of the highway corridor. Applicable Standards and Considerations The City Code under Section 30-854(d) allows the City Council, following a public hearing, to approve the alteration or relocation of a legal nonconforming sign if total compliance is not reasonable and the proposed change brings the signs into greater conformity and serves the Page 558 of 637