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ARDEN HILLS PLANNING COMMISSION – May 6, 2015 5 <br /> <br />Associate Planner Bachler reviewed the options available to the Planning Commission on this <br />matter: <br /> <br />1. Recommend Approval with Conditions <br />2. Recommend Approval as Submitted. <br />3. Recommend Denial <br />4. Table <br /> <br />Chair Thompson opened the floor to Commissioner comments. <br /> <br />Commissioner Hames questioned the hours of operation for the lighting. <br /> <br />Associate Planner Bachler reported that the lighting would be on 24 hours a day. <br /> <br />Commissioner Jones asked if the store was open 24 hours a day. <br /> <br />Associate Planner Bachler deferred this question to the applicant. <br /> <br />Michael Cronin, representative of Holiday Stationstores, addressed the Commission regarding <br />glare and light branding. He believed that the store was open 24 hours a day. He discussed how <br />light source glare can be mitigated and explained how the light would be diffused through the <br />tubing. He understood that staff has recommended that a dimmer be installed for nighttime <br />hours. He approved of this recommendation, which would assist in reducing the blue LED lights <br />by 60% on both the existing monument sign and the building and canopy. He indicated Holiday <br />Stationstores would be applying the same lighting techniques that were used in the City of <br />Bloomington. He provided comment on the distance the LED lights would be from adjacent <br />homes. He was certain that the installation of the LED lights as proposed at the Holiday site <br />would have a minor impact on adjacent properties. He requested that the blue lights not be <br />construed to be signage, but rather architectural. He provided the Commission with alternate <br />findings and recommended that the Commission approve the PUD amendment. <br /> <br />Chair Thompson asked if Holiday had a new standard for their building and canopy appearance. <br /> <br />Mr. Cronin explained that Holiday was making the proposed changes to take advantage of the <br />changes in LED lighting technology. <br /> <br />Commissioner Hames questioned the distance someone had to be away from the Bloomington <br />Holiday station, in order to not see the blue LED lighting. <br /> <br />Mr. Cronin indicated that he drove by this sign on his way home each night. He commented <br />this sign has been dimmed and was only visible from approximately three-fourths of a mile away. <br /> <br />Commissioner Zimmerman inquired if the LED lighting was being proposed to differentiate <br />Holiday from other stations such as SuperAmerica or Marathon. <br /> <br />Mr. Cronin stated that the blue LED lighting was in place to illuminate and brand the site. <br /> <br />Commissioner Jones asked if the dimmer would be run by a photo sensor or timer.