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Regular City Council Meeting <br />Monday, July 28, 2008 <br />Page 8 <br />two week period, at 2036 Western Avenue by hiring a general contractor to cor- <br />rect existing code violations, as detailed in the Request for Council Action dated <br />July 28, 2008; and further directing that the property owner be billed for all actual <br />and administrative costs, estimated at approximately $4,250.00; and if those <br />charges remain unpaid, staff is to recover costs as specified in Minnesota Statute, <br />Section 407.07B; with costs to be reported to the City Council following the <br />abatement. <br />Roll Call <br />Ayes: Roe; Pust; Wilhnus; Ihlan and Klausing. <br />Nays: None. <br />c. Consider Amendment to Chapter 1010 Sign Regulations Ordinance pertain- <br />ing to Temporary Signs, Commercial/Industrial Real Estate Signs and the <br />Master Sign Plan Process (PROJ0013) <br />City Planner Thomas Paschke reviewed staff's recommended revisions to the <br />City's new sign code, since its adoption, and challenges in staff's interpretation, <br />consideration, and approval for temporary signs. Mr. Paschke advised that the <br />specificity on type of sign permissible and timelines, usually tied to an event that <br />may be too short in duration for certain requests. Mr. Paschke noted that the ex- <br />isting Master Sign Plan hearing process was proving cumbersome property re- <br />view/approval authority, with not all staff assigned to the Development Review <br />Committee, educated in the area of signs and sign requirements. <br />City Planner Paschke referred discussion to staff comments detailed in Section 3.0 <br />of the staff report dated July 28, 2008, addressing temporary signs; business and <br />industrial "For Sale/Lease" signs; Master Sign Plans; and Enforcement considera- <br />tions. <br />Discussion included all-weather product materials for signs; duration of signs; <br />sizes of signs; real estate signs; business/industrial signs; definition of temporary <br />signs; habitual offenders; and lack of available staff for signage monitoring and <br />enforcement of habitual offenders, in addition to educating and providing public <br />information on sign regulations in the community. <br />Councilmember Ihlan questioned whether real estate signs (Section 5.3 of the <br />staff report, page 5) had a time limitation or if they could be permanent. Coun- <br />cilmember Ihlan opined that in proposing to triple their size (from 10 square feet <br />to 32 square feet), such signage would not be aesthetically pleasing; and further <br />opined that they should be treated as temporary signs, but that their size remain at <br />10 square feet. <br />City Planner Paschke advised that their duration depended on the situation; <br />whether multi-tenant and incorporated into building signage or large free-standing <br />signs. <br />