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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION – FEBRUARY 28, 2024 3 <br />forward. Did the Commission think they should be permitted for other business uses? They are <br />currently only permitted for drive-through restaurants. They have had some requests for different <br />uses; recently there was an application approved for a carwash and there had been interest in using <br />dynamic display signs for point of sale processes. For this type of use, a dynamic display would <br />not be permitted. <br /> <br />Commissioner Murchie thought there might be a geographic component to it and they should be <br />considerate of adjacent businesses in adjacent towns having a difference in code from Arden Hills. <br />He said there could be a competitive edge to businesses with this technology. He’d be open to <br />talking through areas that have dynamic signs on one side of the street but not the other. <br /> <br />Commissioner Brausen said in a neighboring town they are also allowed to have lighting around <br />canopies such as Holiday or Speedway. <br /> <br />Chair Cupery felt an issue was lighting glare from the signs, proximity to homes and other <br />businesses. He thought they should continue to discuss it considering they were the only ones <br />restricting those type of signs. <br /> <br />Commissioner Subramanian asked if it was possible to write a separate code just for dynamic <br />signs. <br /> <br />Senior Planner Fransen responded that currently dynamic signs are listed as prohibited except <br />for menu board signs, but they could review the portions of the code that apply. <br /> <br />Commissioner Bonine said it might be worth revisiting what concerns the City Council has today. <br />He thought dynamic signs could be allowed in certain districts that they’re not impacting <br />residential areas as much. They could narrow the scope of what they are comfortable with in <br />regard to timing, color, brightness and location. <br /> <br />Commissioner Murchie asked Commissioner Brausen what the value of those signs was from his <br />standpoint as a business owner. <br /> <br />Commissioner Brausen replied it was being able to market against competitors. They use their <br />sign for the gas station sales and rebates for the repair center, plus they like to do local things like <br />promote the football teams and other community things. Dynamic display signs cost $60,000 - <br />$100,000 so they won’t just pop up everywhere. <br /> <br />Commissioner Bonine mentioned that a dynamic display sign would not fit with his business and <br />that other businesses could reach that same conclusion. <br /> <br />Senior Planner Fransen said this could be brought back for more discussion but it sounded like <br />there was interest in some opening up of the current language for dynamic display signs. <br /> <br />Commissioner Brausen added that they should look at why the second sign has to be smaller than <br />the first sign, he thought Arden Hills was the only city that requires that. <br /> <br />Commissioner Bonine discussed the code section requiring a second freestanding sign to be half <br />the size of the first. He wondered if there was something in the code that dictated how many signs