06-25-25 EDC Agenda Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION – APRIL 23, 2025 8 These discussions have taken place during Planning Commission meetings and City Council Work Sessions. Nothing has been brought forward for approval or full consideration to amend and adopt. Commissioner Bonine asked if the feedback from the EDC from a year ago is part of this process. Senior Planner Fransen confirmed. Commissioner Bonine said it’s nice to know that the Council takes the feedback. The perception was there was some history of a lot of effort being put in, and that not being considered. Commissioner Brausen said someone made the point at the meeting to make sure they go through our stuff. He is happy to see the Planning Commission is open to it, too. Senior Planner Fransen summarized the last Planning Commission meeting and that the consultant mentioned they were looking at the sign code. They want to simplify it. They suggested increasing the square footage for signage. Staff shared an idea that we could remove the maximum square footage and look at the percentage based on frontage and elevation. Staff did share the EDC’s comment sheet. The language is still being worked out. Senior Planner Fransen outlined how a City uses their zoning code to establish how the City will be developed. She shared the Zoning Map to provide a visual for how different sections of the City are zoned. Amendments can be made to the language of the code or specifically to the map. The current review is focused on the zoning code language. Commissioner Gronquist asked for clarification that the consultants are looking at combining the zoning code with the sign code. She thinks that may be a challenge. Senior Planner Fransen said what they are proposing is that the sign code will be incorporated into the development standards. The consultant identified that would be in alignment with the reconfiguration and organization of process for the zoning code. She offered that the intention is everything will be in one chapter so businesses can find everything they need to know in one chapter. She thinks it removes the disconnects of where to look. It will still have its own provision and numbering. It just won’t be folded into other sections. Commissioner Poelzer asked when the suggested changes will be presented to Council. Senior Planner Fransen said there is no exact date. The process has been that they bring forward recommendations to Planning Commission. The consultant then brings that to Council to verify direction. They draft the verbiage, based on the feedback they received and move to the next item. Their final draft language recommendations will be reviewed in a public meeting. She thought the EDC could expect to be asked to share their insights and next steps, along the way. 4. COMMENTS AND REPORTS A. Report from Staff None.