##VIDEO ID:WulmveWbf-Q## okay I see by had the clock on the wall at 7 o' I'd like to call to order the Tuesday October 1 2024 meeting of the mountain Planning Commission this is a regular meeting could we have a roll call please commissioner arshambo here commissioner Yan here commissioner Baker here commissioner Keel present commission commissioner wacker here sh good here we do have an agenda and uh I'd first like to talk about the agenda um from just a discussion standpoint and then uh we'll take action on it um because of the vice presidential debates tonight that a number of people I think would like to watch um we are going to impress the agenda and uh Sarah will talk on a high level about the topics and then we will continue on next month on a more in-depth basis on signage uh prior to voting on the agenda let me note that we do have one Amendment uh on page 12 regarding corner corner lot comp opponents we are going to admit that pardon omit that for tonight so that'll get discussed um next time so that said the chair would entertain a motion to approve the agenda with an amendment to eliminate uh discussion about Corner Lots before I do that can I ask a question too sir do we want to also table the Planning Commission start time given the fact that we have six of us here do you want to have that when someone else we have a full house or no oh that's a good good thought we could certainly do that any thoughts on that I think it would be fair to wait because I know that I think a couple of the commissioners before had mentioned that they go into the office for work they weren't remote workers and so that could be something that impacts their schedule Sarah may I just also offer a comment uh recognizing that we do have have um Planning Commission interviews that will be upcoming we traditionally have done them at the November meeting it doesn't mean we couldn't do it at the the the first meeting in December um but I think that would be helpful information to make to be made known to our candidates that the start time could be changing if if in the event that the the November 19th meeting is a selected date for candidates we could let them know that okay thank you is there a there's no legal things that says when we could change it like we don't have to wait like a certain amount of time to do public notice or anything like that no we we I think have to change our work rules because it's in the work rules but there that's the only thing I think we have to do the the pl the council when they did it they waited a little amount of time I I don't know how much time it was we can check but I think if we were going to change it I think we would may maybe consider doing that effective the first first meeting of 2025 January you know unless it needs to be a longer time but not aware of any okay so I guess I would like to make a motion to approve the agenda um as distributed excluding on page 12 omitting the discussion on Corner lots and also tabling 6B discussion action Planning Commission start time until next meeting second we have a second we have discussion heing none all those in favor signify by saying I I those oppos nay motion carries we have minutes of the September 3 2024 regular meeting of the council chair would entertain a motion uh motion to approve minutes as distributed second we have motion to second we have discussion hearing none all those in favor signify by saying I I those oppose nay motion carries okay review SL discussion of proposed amendments to city code chapter 119 signage and uh Sarah's going to remain in her seat to do this yeah good evening everyone um uh for our review and what I would call a highlevel discussion uh this evening uh we have included in your packet the first draft of some proposed changes to the signage uh ordinance um just a couple of quick comments um as as we've noted Rita has worked uh with our team on the ordinance and she isn't with us this evening and we're also missing a couple of planning Commissioners so I'm I'm in agreement that a higher level discussion this evening I think is is appropriate um but I we did want to give you just a very brief overview of of some of the changes uh city code 119 is the ordinance that regulates signage in Mounds in Mound City code important to note it is not in zoning um it is a standalone chapter um but it it is a it is ordinance nonetheless um there's a couple things that are driving uh the proposed changes to the signage uh regulations um it's been on our work schedule project list for a while um and it's and it and it's appropriate that we take a look at the ordinance regulations from time to time additionally we have made um changes to our districts um you know we got rid of the business Commercial B1 B2 and created new C1 as well as changed the names of The Pedestrian um and the linear and related districts in the destination and so we have regulations in the in our sign regulations that are not reflective of our current zoning um in addition um I think there was a there was a desire uh to make things I think simpler for the user um and also perhaps a more streamlined process for for the city related to what requires permits and what is subject to regulations but might be permit exempt um and additionally uh there is a need to update the regulations also so that they're uh consistent with uh federal and state state laws related to signage specifically uh what we call content neutrality and so a lot of those uh issues are driving uh the desire to amend our code um I would suggest suggest that there's a lot of consistency from the current ordinance to the proposed changes but there's a couple things that you'll see if you've had an opportunity to look at the proposed amendment um we have changed our district structure as I just mentioned we now have um the mixed use downtown we have the mixed use Corridor and we have the C1 commercial and so the the ordinance change for signage will will be including uh bless you regulations that govern uh those specific districts um uh another I would say substantive change is that we've taken out what's called the comprehensive sign uh provision and what that was put in in the early 2000s uh for uh signage in the Redevelopment area and when we referred to that that was in the tax increment financing area we still have that but we were utilizing a different system for signage when you um projects in downtown specifically either as part of a PUD or uh you can do uh flexibil flexibility or alternative standards using the signed variation process um we are also moving away from some permitting for more of the temporary type signage um presently we have permits requirement for banners for portable signs and Sandwich Board signs and seasonal signs and several of those would go away they would still have appropriate regulations but we feel that we want to make sure that temporary signage is regulated but there seems to be a desire to allow it but not have to permit it um because we also want to be income neutral as well um and so that's one of the changes uh We've also Incorporated um new standards that would allow for what we call Dynamic displays and that's the changeable message that that we see from time to time like you'll see you know maybe there's a a monument with maybe the the name of the the name of the business and then you'll see changeable content so that it's it's up to-date current we used to call them time and temp back in the day but now they are they are um more um elaborate and they don't just do time and temp so we've included um some regulations with regards to allowing those and so that would be something different um the other the other uh change that I think is perhaps one of the larger uh as I've mentioned is is creating content neutral regulations and basically what that means is that from The Observer perspective you'd have to read the text of the sign in order to determine what type of sign it was so in other words instead of saying garage cell sign we now are calling that an off a temporary off-premise um exempt sign um or it's a it's a category of a freestanding sign and that's something that that has to be changed because that's that was a federal case in the mid 2000s I think 2015 I believe um and so that is one of the one of the substantive changes and again I'm I'll be honest I'm still getting my arms wrapped around that a little bit in terms of what does that encumber garage sale real estate directional and making sure that I understand that and then what are we have to do it but what should we be thinking a little bit further um uh the other we as I said we've created Provisions for dynamic signs we've included some regulations that that govern how big it can be how tall it can be where it can be um and so that is a that would be something I think that might Merit some discussion uh but it is quite we see those a lot in codes now um and so that's kind of where we started from uh obviously signage as I said is not in the zoning ordinance it's actually a city code chapter but it it doesn't not therefore require a public hearing um for changes to be made however uh the state does require any ordinance be posted on the city's website not less than 10 days ahead of when the city council would consider it and so there that allows for Public public input and then we I would anticipate that similar to a larger uh project that we would put some news items on our website as well to make information known um How We Do regulate just jumping backwards a minute the what I call content neutral signs we can't regulate the content but we can regulate where it is how big it is um and where it can be located IE the district so that's kind of a I would say a 10,000 foot level um very brief synopsis of the sign proposed changes um I will be happy to respond to questions or entertain questions that you want to get out so we can do some research when we bring it back but uh we do feel that because we're lacking a few me uh members today and because ra is not here that um we all will benefit from having a full complement of staff and the members of the Planning Commission so with that I'll be I'll be happy to answer questions questions for Sarah at this point one question I have just real quick yeah fees are there fees associate there are fees for signs um I think uh again forgive me I believe a a permanent sign I believe is $100 okay a temporary sign that is like a banner or a uh seasonal sign I believe those are $25 portable signs are requiring a permit but do not no uh they don't require a permit but they have a fee or they're both exempt one or the other I just didn't see it in here okay yeah thank you a good question we'll bring that back and there is a fee for a sandwich board fee uh for a Sandwich Board sign as well and that's supposed to be done annually and and a lot of this I think is also driving that putting into practice what we're seeing okay but to make it make it easier for our clients too thank you so I had two quick questions one is on your definitions page 13 for some reason development sign is out of order atically so I was looking for it on one of the things the second one I had a question was under 1194 prohibited signs you have any illuminated sign which changes either in color or intensity of light MH but then that seems to contradict what dynamic display is I think that's proba that's probably a revision that's going to be necessary because that the illuminated sign I think is old and the dynamic sign changeable is new right I think that first one should be scratched y that's a good catch okay further comments or questions all right thank you Rita um let's move on to Planning Commission terms yes uh we have three terms of folks that whose terms expire at the end of the year I believe all I think all three have indicated that they're interested in being reappointed I believe is my recollection if you haven't let us know we also have um two members that are going to be leaving the Planning Commission due to uh personal circumstances and I'm one of them we're building a home in Woodland Coen minat Trista so I will not be eligible any longer Unfortunately okay uh so the my move date is probably end of January or maybe early February I offered to stay on or step down whenever is most convenient and I the feedback I got was that it probably makes sense for me to finish the calendar year and then yield to somebody in 2025 which I'm happy to do we're H we're happy to have you serve and we're going to miss you yeah I've enjoyed my time here yeah uh the other member is um is Jake savstrom his uh he's had some scheduling changes in his in his in his life and so it's making it difficult for him to get get to the meeting and so uh again another person who will be very much missed on this commission and we're certainly grateful for uh both of both of your service and for all these years and we appreciate it okay questions about that all right um Kathy did pass on to Sarah and she passed on to me um three items in in turn terms of a council report uh the first is the council passed the Min minetonka Flats development project she says I believe they said they may begin Construction in October do we know anything further about that um yeah the pl the public hearing for the plat and the cup was held at last Tuesday's city council meeting um following the recommendation from from the planning commission uh they are also working on uh companion agency approvals uh including the lmcd and the Watershed uh within this month they will be anticipated to be submitting their final plat soon their goal is they'd like to have the final plant done by the end of the month and be on the agenda for the 24th we we believe um and following those approvals they would like to turn dirt this fall so uh a a very very uh quick path to approvals and there's lot there's lots of things to get there but it's it's certainly doable uh from the city's perspective anticipating we get a final plat so one of the recommendations we had in approving it was that they talk about parking rate what was the discussion at city council um the developer um provided information that they are entering into an agreement with the Gillespie Center to uh have six guest parking in their lot that will provide parking uh when needed for the uh Lake minona flats and that's to be provided in a recordable form okay okay that's good all right further questions questions about that hearing none the second Point she brought up was the mound Farmers Market will be closing for the season following a 12:30 wrapup on October the 12th that means only two Saturdays remaining to purchase fresh produce which is good for all of us last point a sad one long-term pillar of our community Johnny Royer from John's variety and pets and most recently from Johnny's flowers um passed away last Monday after a battle with cancer his um visitation and funeral will be Thursday October 3rd at the gesy Center visitation at 4: with a funeral service at 5: and I think there is a reception afterwards and those of you who knew Johnny knew what a wonderful guy he was about the only place you could go where you walked in to buy a bail of fertilizer and you got a big hug before you so those were her points Sarah do you have anything to bring up um I just a couple quick things a reminder uh the November meeting is has a change date it is on the 19th of November uh because election uh is on our meeting date and that was changed earlier this year um we also will be uh advertising for our our two vacancies with interviews to be determined either at the at that meeting date or the meeting in December so we'll work that out as staff um and uh we are busy as usual but uh uh doing our best to keep up with permit activity and and questions and phone calls and that sort of thing and but we're doing okay and I thank you for all of your help and my team members too thank you okay questions for Sarah hearing none anybody have anything else to bring up hearing none chair would entertain a motion to adjourn motion to adjourn second we have a second and a motion discussion car n all those in favor signify by saying I I those oppose nay motion carries thank you for coming we appreciate thank you everyone we appreciate everybody's flexibility