Title
Requesting a Planning Commission study of the city's current zoning regulations for a new portable sign type, pursuant to Minn. Stat. § 462.357, Subd. 4.
Body
WHEREAS, the Council of the City of Saint Paul finds that Chapter 64 of the City’s Zoning Code, in §§ 64.502, 64.503, 64.504, 64.505, and 64.506, allows portable signs in residential, traditional neighborhood, business, and industrial zoning districts; and
WHEREAS, the Council further finds that businesses or institutions in Saint Paul want to place sidewalk signs on the public sidewalk to direct customers to their business or institution and the Council supports their request; and
WHEREAS, the Council further finds that these sidewalk signs are best classified as portable signs; and
WHEREAS, the Council further finds that it is appropriate to exempt these sidewalk signs from the requirement of obtaining a permit; and
WHEREAS, Minn. Stat. § 462.357, Subd.4 authorizes the Council to initiate a zoning code amendment and refer the amendment to the planning commission for a study of the amendment, to obtain from the commission a report on the proposed amendment, and to not act upon the amendment proposal until sixty (60) days have elapsed from the date of the referral without a report from the commission; now therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the Council of the City Saint Paul, based upon the findings set forth above, hereby requests the planning commission, for the benefit of the health, welfare, and safety of the public, to study the zoning code’s present regulation of portable signs and to prepare a report and a recommendation based upon the study, whether to amend the City’s zoning code regulations for a new type of portable signs; and be it finally
RESOLVED, that the Council requests the planning commission, in preparing its report and recommendation, to consider the following definitions and amendments:
Sec. 64.118. P.
Portable sign. A sign which is attached to a chassis with wheels of skids or to a metal or wood frame, which is not permanently mounted into the ground, or a sidewalk sign placed pursuant to chapter 106 of this code.
Sec. 64.204. Exemptions.
(a) Signs of the city, county, state, and federal government and subdivisions and agencies thereof which give orientation, direction or traffic-control information shall be exempt from the requirements of this chapter.
(b) The following signs shall not require a permit. These exemptions shall not be construed as relieving the owner of the sign from the responsibility of its erection and maintenance, and its compliance with the provisions of this chapter or any other law or ordinance regulating the same.
(1) The changing of the message on the display surface of signs that are designed to have changeable copy.
(2) Signs six (6) square feet or less in area.
(3) Lettering on motor vehicles when not utilized as a parked or stationary outdoor display sign.
(4) Political signs.
(5) Sports facility sponsorship signs.
(6) Sidewalk signs placed pursuant to chapter 106 of this code.
Sec. 64.401. All signs.
(i) No signs shall be located in, project into or overhang a public right-of-way, except those projecting business signs permitted in business and industrial districts that do not violate Minnesota Statutes, section 160.27, sidewalk signs placed pursuant to chapter 106 of this code, and signs established by the city, county, state, or federal governments.
Sec. 64.419. Temporary and portable signs.
(c) Permit required.
(1) A sign permit shall be required for all temporary and portable signs, except that temporary signs concerning a commodity, service or entertainment conducted, offered, sold, or manufactured on the premises, placed inside a window, shall not require a sign permit.
(2) A sign permit is not required for a sidewalk sign placed pursuant to chapter 106 of this code.
Sec. 64.502. RL-RM3 residential and entirely residential uses in T1-T4 traditional neighborhood districts.
(b) Temporary signs.
(4) For parks, community centers, and religious, educational, civic or philanthropic institutions, portable signs and temporary signs are permitted for special events under the following conditions:
a. Portable signs:
1. On zoning lots with a street frontage of three hundred thirty (330) feet or less, the gross surface display area of the signs shall not exceed one hundred (100) square feet. On zoning lots with a street frontage of over three hundred thirty (330) feet, the gross surface display area of the signs shall not exceed three hundred (300) square feet;
2. The signs shall be permitted two (2) nonconsecutive times per calendar year for a period of not more than fourteen (14) days per time; Sidewalk signs placed pursuant to chapter 106 are exempt from this requirement;
3. The signs shall not be flashing signs or located in a required yard, required off-street parking space or maneuvering area, or public right-of-way. Sidewalk signs placed pursuant to chapter 106 are permitted in the public right-of-way.
Sec. 64.503. T1-T3 traditional neighborhood and OS-BC business districts.
(c) Portable signs. Portable signs are permitted under the following conditions:
[These conditions apply in all T, B, and I zoning districts.]
(1) On zoning lots with a street frontage of three hundred thirty (330) feet or less, the gross surface display area of the signs shall not exceed thirty-six (36) square feet. On zoning lots with a street frontage of over three hundred thirty (330) feet, the gross surface display area of the signs shall not exceed three hundred (300) square feet;
(2) The signs shall be permitted on a zoning lot four (4) nonconsecutive times per calendar year and for a period of not more than fourteen (14) days per time; Sidewalk signs placed pursuant to chapter 106 are exempt from this requirement;
(3) The signs shall not be flashing signs or located in a required yard, required off-street parking space or maneuvering area, or public right-of-way. Sidewalk signs placed pursuant to chapter 106 are permitted in the public right-of-way.