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Variance Board Meeting Minutes – Wednesday, February 07, 2007 Page 3 Acting Chair Boerigter opened the Public Hearing for Planning File 07-008. City Planner Thomas Paschke reviewed the request and application submitted by SDDI Sign Systems on behalf of the Lexington Professional Building to replace an existing non-conforming ground sign on the premises. Mr. Paschke advised that City records indicate that a building permit was issued in 1965 and a sign permit had been issued in 1977, although the building permit card didn’t reference type sign type. Mr. Paschke advised that the existing freestanding sign was located within the Lexington Avenue right-of-way. Mr. Paschke noted that the applicant had provided slight modifications to their request over the last few days, eliminating the need for the height variance, which will now be code compliant; and noted the need for careful review of the staff report and recommendations to revise terminology and make revisions to take these modifications into account. Mr. Paschke advised that the request sought a variance to the required setback from the front property line adjacent to Lexington Avenue (1’ versus the required 15’); and now, as revised, excluded a variance for the overall height requirement. Mr. Paschke provided staff’s analysis of the variance requests for a sign within the Lexington Avenue right-of-way to allow refurbishing of the existing sign, installed in a past era based on past practice that would no longer be code compliant. Mr. Paschke noted that staff had supported similar variances in the past; and has determined that there is justification for granting the variance to allow a new freestanding ground/monument sign on the premises. Staff recommended APPROVAL of a fourteen foot (14’) setback VARIANCE to Roseville City Code, Section 1009.03M (Ground Sign), allowing a freestanding ground/monument sign one foot (1’) from the property line adjacent to Lexington Avenue at Lexington Professional Building, 1790 Lexington Avenue, based on the comments and findings in Section 5, and conditions detailed in Section 6, of the staff report dated February 7, 2007, as modified during tonight’s discussion. Discussion included the City’s current master sign plan, and the proposed code revisions; other potential locations on site for the sign (further north and closer to the parking lot) and visibility concerns; and using existing monuments to reduce footing construction needed in replacing the sign. Applicant Representative, Jeff Wiberg, Project Manager, SDDI Sign Systems , was present to speak to the application; and advised the Board of the applicant’s rationale to clean up the building, increase visibility for advertising the location, and was simply seeking to relocate the sign at the current location. Mr. Wiberg introduced Dr. Wieiber, new owner of the building. Public Comment Mr. Chris Meyer, 1075 Roma Avenue (next to professional building) Mr. Meyer expressed concern about the significant expansion of commercial property surrounding his residential property over the last few years, increasing noise, pollution, litter and other concerns. Mr. Meyer voiced his concerns that improved signage would increase commercial development in the area; and questioned “where to draw the line” and how to manage the increasing encroachment to his residential property and reduce damage to the neighborhood. Mr. Meyer noted that he was not requesting denial of the sign variance; acknowledged that it was probably a good