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4.O BACKGROUND 4.1 The shopping center property where the temporary apartment leasing sign would be erected is located in Planning District 3, has a zoning designation of Shopping Center (SC) District and a Comprehensive Plan designation of Business (B). 4.2 Section 1009.02A5 (Sign Regulations) of the City Code contains this definition: "Billboard: A sign that is erected and used for the purpose ... of selling goods/services other than those offered on the premises." The proposed sign is a billboard, which is prohibited in § 1009.02C (Prohibited Signs); it can only be accommodated with the requested INTERIM USE PERMIT (IUP). S.O INTERIM USE PERMIT APPLICATIONS 5.1 Section 1012.09 (Interim Uses) of the City Code establishes the regulations pertaining to INTERIM USE PERMITS. a. Section 1012.09A states: The City Council may authorize an interim use of property. Interim uses may not be consistent with the land uses designated on the adopted Land Use Plan. They may also fail to meet all of the zoning standards established for the district within which it is located. b. Section 1012.09B states: The City Council may attach conditions to Interim Use Permits. In reviewing Interim use Permit applications, the City will establish a specific date or event that will terminate the use on the property. The Council will also determine that the approval of the interim use would not result in adverse effects on the public health, safety, and general welfare, and that it will not impose additional costs on the public if it is necessary for the public to take the property in the future. C).O STAFF COMMENTS 6.1 The IUP request is prompted by the fact that the Centennial Gardens aparhnent complex has been subject to significant vacancies related to ongoing renovations. The applicant believes that full (or nearly full) occupancy can be achieved by installing a sign in the proposed location during the next several months which are the most active apartment- seeking months. 6.2 The application indicates that Centennial Gardens would be willing to remove an approved sign by the end of October 2008 (about 5 months after installation). Planning Division staff believes that allowing the sign to be in place through the end of December 2008 (about 7 months after installation) would neither have a greater impact nor complicate the enforcement of the IUP compared to the proposed 5-month duration, and the applicant would be appreciative of the extra time to be sure that the apartment occupancy goals can be achieved. 6.3 Section 1009.08 (Regulations for SC Districts) allows freestanding signs to be up to 100 square feet in area and up to 25 feet tall. The proposed sign would be approximately 32 square feet and seems likely to be less than 10 feet in height. 6.4 Normally, a sign would be required to be set back 15 feet from a property line. Because a sign would have to be installed in the existing parking lot if the 15-foot setback is required in this case, Community Development staff recommends allowing the proposed temporary sign to be erected between the Hamline Avenue right-of-way and the eastern edge of the parking area. PF08-013 RPCA 050708 Page 2 of 3 � �