HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning Report
CITY OF COLUMBIA HEIGHTS PLANNING REPORT
CASE NUMBER: 2009-0303
DATE: March 3, 2009
TO: Columbia Heights Planning Commission
APPLICANT: City of Columbia Heights
LOCATION: City Wide
REQUEST: Zoning Amendment for Signage in Design Guidelines District
PREPARED BY: Jeff Sargent, City Planner
INTRODUCTION
The Design Guidelines were adopted by the City Council after one year of preparation by a
citizens group that included residents, as well as Central Avenue business owners. The
guidelines were established to increase the visual appeal and pedestrian orientation of
certain major street corridors within the city, thereby increasing the economic vitality of
these corridors, and supporting the goals of the Comprehensive Plan. The guidelines
represent the minimum standards for design quality and have been implemented by
Discount Tire, Advanced Auto Parts, and Grand Central Lofts, all on Central Avenue.
Ryland Homes, Inc. and Schafer Richardson have also used the guidelines in the
redevelopment of the Industrial Park.
The intent of the Design Guidelines is to give the Planning Commission and City Council
greater discretion on the design of new construction in the City of Columbia Heights.
th
Currently any type of new development along Central Avenue and 40 Avenue need to
receive approval from the Planning Commission via the Site Plan Approval process. This
includes existing businesses that want to add more signage or increase the size of their
current sign.
Staff has received several concerns from new businesses that want to erect signs, but
have to wait for up to two months in order to gain site plan approval from the Planning
Commission. In order to accommodate new businesses in the City, Staff recommends
amending the Zoning Code to allow the issuance of new sign permits for existing tenant
spaces without needing a site plan approval to do so. Staff feels that this would appease
new businesses who want to place signs on their business as soon as possible, without
having to wait for up to two months. It should be noted that signs that are a part of a new
City of Columbia Heights Planning Commission March 3, 2009
City of Columbia Heights, Design Guideline SignageCase # 2009-0303
development in the Design Guidelines District would still require site plan approval.
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
One of the goals of the Comprehensive Plan is to preserve and enhance the existing
viable commercial areas within the community, and to promote reinvestment in properties
by the commercial and industrial sectors. The proposed Zoning Amendment would allow
for new businesses to erect their signage as soon as they could, rather than waiting for a
site plan approval. This would aid to the promotion of reinvestment into the commercial
sectors of the City.
ZONING ORDINANCE
Section 9.113 (D)(4)(a) of the Zoning Code states that the Design Guidelines shall apply to
all nonresidential, mixed-use and/or multi-family buildings, and to the following activities:
1. New construction;
2. Any exterior changes, including repainting, with the exception of replacement or
repair of existing materials;
3. Any internal remodeling or expansion activity that increases the overall size of
the building by 10% or more;
4. Any development or expansion of parking areas that would result in a lot with
more than four parking spaces; and
5. Minor alterations such as repainting may be handled administratively, as
determined by the City Planner.
Staff recommends including language that would allow for the installation of new signage
on existing buildings to be handled administratively, as determined by the City Planner.
FINDINGS OF FACT
Section 9.104 (F) of the Columbia Heights zoning code requires that the City Council make
each of the following four findings before approving a zoning amendment:
1. The amendment is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan.
One of the goals of the Comprehensive Plan is to preserve and enhance the
existing viable commercial areas within the community, and to promote reinvestment
in properties by the commercial and industrial sectors. The proposed Zoning
Amendment would allow for new businesses to erect their signage as soon as they
could, rather than waiting for a site plan approval. This would aid to the promotion
of reinvestment into the commercial sectors of the City.
2. The amendment is in the public interest and is not solely for the benefit of a
single property owner.
Page
2
City of Columbia Heights Planning Commission March 3, 2009
City of Columbia Heights, Design Guideline SignageCase # 2009-0303
The proposed amendment would affect all business owners throughout the city that
are subject to the Design Guidelines.
3. Where the amendment is to change the zoning classification of a particular
property, the existing use of the property and the zoning classification of
property within the general area of the property in question are compatible with
the proposed zoning classification.
The amendment would not change the zoning classification of a particular property.
4. Where the amendment is to change the zoning classification of a particular
property, there has been a change in the character or trend of development in
the general area of the property in question, which has taken place since such
property was placed in the current zoning classification.
The amendment would not change the zoning classification of a particular property.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends including language in the Design Guidelines that would allow for the
installation of new signage on existing buildings to be handled administratively, as
determined by the City Planner.
Motion:
That the Planning Commission recommends that the City Council approve the
proposed zoning amendment, allowing for businesses subject to the Design Guidelines to
place signage on existing buildings without the requirement of a site plan approval.
Attachments
Draft zoning ordinance
Page
3