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ARDEN HILLS PLANNING COMMISSION – September 4, 2019 3 <br /> <br />Commissioner Lambeth asked if banks, post offices and pharmacies should be considered <br />within this amendment because they all had drive through facilities. <br /> <br />Ms. Diehl commented on the discussions she had with staff to amend City Code regarding <br />restaurant menu signs. She indicated she did not see drive through menu boards being used at <br />post offices, pharmacies or banks at this time. She explained this may change over time. She <br />recommended the proposed language change be made to address dynamic display menu boards. <br /> <br />Commissioner Lambeth questioned if this was truly an environmentally friendly option. <br /> <br />Ms. Diehl stated this change was an environmentally friendly option because it allows <br />restaurants to change menus without generating a great deal of paper waste. In addition, she <br />reported the ballasts and bulbs in the dynamic display signs were LED and not fluorescent. <br /> <br />Commissioner Lambeth inquired what was the maximum height that would be allowed for the <br />dynamic display signs. <br /> <br />Community Development Manager/City Planner Mrosla reported the maximum height would <br />be eight feet. <br /> <br />Commissioner Lambeth commented he believed it was easier to read a menu sign that was <br />more horizontal in nature than vertical. He recommended fast food restaurants consider orienting <br />their signs in this manner. He questioned if the speaker systems would be changed out with the <br />new dynamic display signs. <br /> <br />Ms. Diehl indicated the existing speaker systems at McDonald’s would remain in place. <br /> <br />Commissioner Wicklund asked why the text on the dynamic display menus would be changing <br />three times a day. <br /> <br />Ms. Diehl explained the menus would change for breakfast, lunch and dinner. She commented <br />on the importance of being able to remove items from the menu that were sold out. <br /> <br />Commissioner Wicklund questioned if there were any fast food restaurants that were creating <br />noise issues in the community. <br /> <br />Community Development Manager/City Planner Mrosla reported he was not aware of any <br />concerns at this time. <br /> <br />Commissioner Zimmerman noted several grammatical changes that should be made corrected <br />within the text amendment. <br /> <br />Chair Gehrig recommended the menu boards be allowed to be changed three times a day. He <br />stated he supported clarifying the sign height to ensure the language reads the sign shall be no <br />taller than eight feet above grade. <br /> <br />Commissioner Jones commented three changes to the menu per day may be conservative. <br />