CCP 01-28-2002 - Laserfiche WebLink

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e e e ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES NOVEMBER 26, 2001 IS MOTION: MOTION: Mr. Parrish stated if a church or other institution was proposing something that deviated from the ordinance, they could go though the process for a variance. Councilmember Aplikowski stated the purpose of the task force was not to eliminate crosses or steeples, but to regulate logos on the sides of buildings. Councilmember Grant stated he was not opposed to the illumination of a cross on a church. Mayor Probst stated he was comfortable leaving the language "as is" and moving forward. Mr. Filla stated there is federal law to preclude a city from discriminating against religious symbols. He noted he was confused by the need to distinguish between institutional or public buildings. He added if the city intended "institutional buildings" to mean churches, the language should just be "church buildings". Mayor Probst asked if the change should read "religious symbols attached to church buildings". Mr. Parrish stated that "institutional" was added to address Bethel College. Mayor Probst asked why not refer to symbols attached to buildings. Councilmember Larson stated he was comfortable with deleting "public". Councilmember Grant asked if a church desired to put a cross above the church would it have to meet the sign ordinance. Mayor Probst responded yes. He stated it would not be exempted automatically. Councilmember Aplikowski stated that other residents have been bothered by lights and the Council did not have to address the issue. She noted the complaints were about ground signs and signs on the side ofthe building. Councilmember Grant moved and Councilmember Aplikowski seconded a motion to extend the meeting time to 10:30 p.m. The motion carried unanimously (5-0). Mayor Probst stated the language is important to be here. He noted that without it the ordinance would exempt all religious symbols without going through some process. Councilmember Grant moved and Councilmember Aplikowski seconded a motion to approve in Case #01-23, the second reading and adoption of Ordinance #333 adopting sign regulations for the City of Arden Hills, subject to deletion of "and public" in section 4, C, and to approve the Ordinance Summary for Ordinance #333 as recommended by Staff. The motion carried unanimously (5-0).