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HomeMy WebLinkAboutP&Z MINUTES NOVEMBER 30, 1994~~ t ,_ DATE: (113094) Planning & Zoning 11/30/94 7:00 P. M. Those Present: Chairman: John Millar Members: Davawn Beattie John Watson Mary Ann Mounts Marsha Bjornn Brad Archibald Jerry Jeppesen Richard Smith City Clerk: Rose Bagley Attorney: J. D. Hancock Engineer: Joe Laird A motion was made by Davawn Beattie and seconded by Mary Ann Mounts to approve the minutes. All Aye. RE: SIGN ORDINANCE TOPIC: (300,114,,,SIGN ORDINANCE,SIGNS,CHAMBER OF COMMERCE,BUSINESSES, COLLEGE HOUSING) Sign Ordinance-John Millar explained we are in the process of doing a sign ordinance for the city and at the last meeting we decided to get more input from businesses and apartment owners before we inact the Sign Ordinance. We are looking at developing a sign ordinance that will give some guidance to what type of signs are allowed in certain areas of the community. In doing so we are looking at adopting the Uniform Sign Code and we have looked at adding to it sign height, sign area and size of signs. We have discussed limiting sign heights in the community to 30 feet in any area, no signs larger than eight square feet or 2 x 4 feet in a residential area. Nothing was really voted on until we get more public input. The biq sign on the corner of Main and 2nd West is almost 500 square feet. We want input on how large of signs we want in student housing areas. We talked about the big tie on banners that are 200 or 300 square feet that are on student housing units for months at a time. We would also like to get a feeling of how large percentage wise in size. John Weber- His concern is that signage is the main part of the business. It takes signs to make people aware of businesses. As the community continues to grow, signs will be a big part of it. It might be a better solution to limit the time a sign is up. John Millar told him as far as businesses, we realize that people have to find your business. If they don't they can't get there, but if you get into "a mine is better than yours" contest, everyone looses. We are trying to come up with a system as to where we can reach a middle ground that we can accomplish what the businesses and apartment owners need and still not make it an eye sore to the community. John Weber asked how big the sign is that Cottontree is putting in? John said it is about 45 feet. John Weber asked if that was a concern? ~~~ John Millar told him it would be a concern in the new ordinance. Mr • Weber said they need that size of a sign to pull people off the highway, the same with Mc Donalds and Wendys. He did not see it being a problem, especially for the benefit of the community for the economic impact it would have. Larry Wolf from the Cotton Tree Inn, he was at the meeting instead of Rusty Townsend because he could not make it tonight. He wanted Larry to find out, if you have a bill board or a sign on the city property, does that allow you to have a directional sign on an easement? John Millar told him right now the city does not allow private signs on city right-a-way and this ordinance would not allow that either. The highway department does allow some. If you went back on private property and obtained an easement, you could have directional signs on private property. Davawn Beattie- If we have instructive signs maybe the same thing could be accomplished with a smaller sign. He said as he goes down the street, he can see Albertson's sign better than he can see Mc Donalds. He did not think huge signs, or big tall signs have anymore impact and they would have less impact if they were all the same size. Mc Donalds sign does have a little bit of an impact because it is the only huge sign. He has been in cities where they have a uniform signing system and you can still find the businesses and they can be nice informational signs. The Albertson's sign is 30 feet and the one going into Walmart is 30 feet tall. John Watson stated it is the same logic as limiting the height of a building. It doesn't seem that critical here, but in San Francisco they really value the Skyline. Existing signs will be grandfathered. John Weber- His concern is the new motel. Will you hurry and pass this and they won't have their sign up and they will be stuck with 30 feet. The new motel sign will be 60 feet. Mr Weber asked if the purpose of the ordinance was to try to limit that sign? Mary Ann said no, we have been working on this ordinance for a long time. John said if it is in process we will not stop it and there is already a permit for their sign. Jerry asked what happens when that sign comes down in 20 years? J. D. told him they could replace the sign in the same location the same size as the present sign. If would be grandfathered. Donna Benfield- If it has been in the works for two years, she feels it is a major issue and could they look at the book and study it? John Millar told her that this board would hope they would look at the book. One thing we are looking at that would affect Main Street is to not allow any additional signs out over the public right-a-way as proposed Donna- Could this be brought up in a Chamber of Commerce meeting? John told her we would like their input and would be glad to go to one of their meetings and discuss it and we would also be glad to go to a meeting with the College Housing. What spurred the Sign Ordinance on ~,~ ~~ was when the big bill board was put up on the corner of Main and 2nd West. John Watson stated that there h ave been a lot of banner type signs around the college that stay for a year or two. Jahn Millar stated of all the things we have done on the Planning & Zoning, he has had more complaints on the Mc Donalds sign. People don' t like it. John Weber asked what if Economic Development brings in a big business with a big sign and you say you can't put your sign up? John Millar told him there are conditional use permits that could be considered. Richard told him he had been to a lot of cities and they have much more strict requirements on signs. You don't see those kind of signs down town. John Millar suggested that he drive down 17th Street in Idaho Falls, they have very strict sign regulations. The signs are about 24 square feet. Garth Oakey from Off Campus Housing- 2' x 4' is a really small sign. Signs help a lot with housing. When students come to look for an apartment, they look for signs because they can't find addresses. Davawn asked if all the signs were uniform in size, what size of a sign would be necessary to advertise? Garth said he would like to give it some thought and do some looking around. Davawn asked if he was living next door to a sign, what size would be a good size? Garth answered a sign what would not be intrusive, possibly 32 square feet. Mary Ann asked him how he would feel about just letters on the buildings? John Millar asked him if he would take a look around at the signs and see which ones are good ones and which ones are not? Mary Ann felt that the signs with letters on the buildings look a lot better to her and looks more permanent. Discussion on the sign across from the 4th Ward Church on 1ST East Centennial Apartments, it is on the roof of the house, and does not look good. John Millar suggested that he might drive around and take some pictures. Donna Benfield stated that the Chamber meets as a board the second Friday of each month, if they could get it on the agenda, she would check. RE: PRELIMINARY SITE PLAN FOR THE RICKS COLLEGE RELIGION BUILDING TOPIC: (300,116,,,RICKS COLLEGE,RELIGION BUILDING, PRELIMINARY SITE PLAN) Joe showed a preliminary site plan for the Religion Building drawn by F.F.K.R. Architects. It has a 2000 space seating capacity, which would need 500 parking places. (copy) They still have a problem for site drainage and need a detention pond. (discussion on parking) The Fire Department are concerned about getting a fire truck in. This has 2000 seats in the auditorium rather than the 1200 one that was shown by John Watson. Joe explained the plans. John Millar stated that under the University and College Zoning anything over 10,000 square feet will need a Conditional Use Permit. John Watson thought we had already done a Conditional Use Permit. Rose will look up the minutes. Joe will work out the changes on the plans with the Architect. There is enough changes on the site plan that P & Z needs to review it. ~~ i RE: IMPACT ZONE; PUBLIC HEARING SET; CHANGES VOTED ON & ACCEPTED TOPIC: (300,117,,,IMPACT ZONE,PUBLIC HEARINGS) Final Draft of Chapter 10 of the Impact Zoning Ordinance. (copy on file) Richard had taken the draft the board worked on and made the changes and clarified some of the items. Planning & Zoning reviewed it. John Millar handed out a Land Use Schedule he had made. The board went through and made some changes. Mary Ann questioned the voting on the P. & Z. by the county members? On January 5 Planning & Zoning will hold a public hearing on the Impact Zone at the City Hall. January 19 was decided on for the Council and the County Commissioners for a Public Hearing at the Library. (Rose was unable to schedule January 19 at the Library, instead January 25 was scheduled) We will have our next meeting on December 14 and there will not be a meeting on December 28. A motion was made. by Richard Smith and seconded by Davawn Beattie to accept the new Chapter and changes to existing ordinance. All Aye. except Marsha and Mary Ann voting nay. Meeting adjourned. •