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City of Arden Hills Planning Commission Meeting for April 6, 2016 P:\Planning\Planning Cases\2016\PC 16-003 - Arden Square Master & Final PUD - 1160 County Road E\Memos_Reports_16-003 Page 7 of 11 constructed with brick that would match the color of the building and extend half way up each side of the sign face. The applicant has requested flexibility through the PUD process for a larger freestanding sign than what is permitted by the Sign Code. The maximum height for freestanding signs in Sign District 4 is 10 feet and the maximum sign copy area is 50 square feet. The total sign area maximum, including the base and copy area, is 75 square feet. As proposed, the monument sign would measure 13 feet in height with a sign copy area of 70 square feet and total sign area of 107.25 square feet. The project narrative notes that the property previously had a 16-foot tall pylon sign approved in Planning Case 92-016 for the bank tenant. This sign was taken down after TCF Bank vacated the building and cannot be reinstalled because it is now considered to be a nonconforming sign in Sign District 4. Freestanding Signs Sign District 4 (Permitted) 1160 County Road E (Proposed) Type Monument Monument Sign Copy Area 50 square feet 70 square feet Height 10 feet 13 feet Overall Sign Area 75 square feet 107.25 square feet Section 1260.01 of the Sign Code permits adjustments to sign height, number, type, lighting, area, and/or location through the Site Plan Review process if criteria number 1 or 2 is met and the required criteria number 3 is met. The criteria are as follows: 1. There are site conditions which require a sign adjustment to allow the sign to be reasonably visible from a street immediately adjacent to the site; or, 2. The sign adjustment will allow a sign of exceptional design or a style that will enhance the area or that is more consistent with the architecture and design of the site; and, 3. The sign adjustment will not result in a sign that is inconsistent with the purpose of the zoning district in which the property is located or the current land use. While the PUD process itself permits the City to be flexible with signage standards depending on the needs of a particular use or property, the above criteria provide general guidance for evaluating these types of requests. Staff compared the freestanding signage request with the PUD approval for the E Street Flats and retail building at 1201 County Road E, which is also located in Sign District 4 (Planning Case 13-009). In this case, the City approved two monument signs for the property on County Road E, each measuring 10 feet in height with a sign copy area of 51.2 square feet. The Sign Code permitted the property to have two freestanding signs because the property fronted County Road E and Lexington Avenue, but the additional sign was restricted to a copy area of 25 square feet.