The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutStaff Comments CITY OF MERIDIAN PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT STAFF REPORT FOR HEARING DATE OF AUGUST 14,2007 STAFF REPORT TO: FROM: Hearing Date: August 14,2007 Mayor and City Council Jenny Veatch, Assistant City Planner 208-884-5533 ~~ /,'m~ ~, \../'YLcndZt:rH -\ \ 11.>.\"'0 J~ ~ ' Iic._""V _ .ll:!-::: .-;{: . .-- 1m SUBJECT: Meridian Elementary School . V AR-07-014 Request for a variance to UDC 11-3D-7 a, to exceed the four (4) square foot area maximum for a public service infonnation sign to allow a nineteen (19) square foot LED reader board sign above the entrance of Meridian Elementary School at 1035 NW First Street. 1. SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF APPLICANT'S REQUEST The applicant is requesting a variance from Unified Development Code (UDC) ll-3D-7a, which allows public infonnation signs to be no greater than four (4) square feet in area and no more than four (4) feet in height. The applicant is requesting that the public service identification sign for Meridian Elementary School be nine (9) feet wide and two (2) feet two (2) inches in height, a total of nineteen (19) square feet, to be located above the main entrance. The applicant's justification for the variance is outlined below. 2. SUMMARY RECOMMENDATION Staff is recommending approval of the subject Variance application (V AR-07-014) for the reasons listed herein. Staff finds that the V AR application meets all of the findings required in the UDC in order for the City Council to grant a variance. (See Analysis, Section 8, of this report, for more details.) 3. PROPOSED MOTION (to be considered after the public hearing) Approval After considering all staff, applicant and public testimony, I move to approve File Number V AR-07- 014 as presented during the hearing on August 14,2007. Continuance After considering all staff, applicant and public testimony, I move to continue File Number V AR- 07-014 to the hearing date of (insert continued hearing date here) for the following reason(s): (you should state specific reason(s) for continuance.) Denial After considering all staff, applicant and public testimony, I move to deny File Number V AR-07- 014 as presented in the staff report for the hearing date of August 14, 2007, for the following reasons: (you should state specific reasons for denial.) 4. APPLICATION AND PROPERTY FACTS a. Site Address/Location: 1035 NW First Street Northeast 1.1 of Section 12, Township 3 North, Range 1 West b. Owner: Meridian Elementary School Sign Variance V AR-07-014 PAGE 1 CITY OF MERIDIAN PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT STAFF REPORT FOR HEARING DATE OF AUGUST 14, 2007 Meridian Joint School District 1303 E. Central Drive Meridian, ill 83642 c. Applicant: Meridian Elementary School 1035 NW First Street Meridian, ill 83642 d. Representative: Byron Yankey, Principal, Meridian Elementary School; Laura Lantz, PTO President e. Present Zoning: O-T (Old Town) f. Present Comprehensive Plan Designation: O-T (Old Town) g. Description of Applicant's Request: The applicant is requesting a variance to UDC ll-3D-7a, to exceed the four (4) square foot area maximum for a public service information sign to allow a nineteen (19) square foot LED reader board that would be a public service information sign. Applicant's Statement/Justification: "We're on of the oldest schools in Meridian and we are a Title 1 School located just blocks from the current city hall. Our student population is diverse, with more than 68% of our population being listed below the poverty line. Despite hardships and low incomes, our student population earned over $7,200 for a LED reader board for our schoo1." "Communication with our parents/guardians is a crucial and an important tool for the success of this public school and its students. The proposed site for the sign is a central location for our parents to see as they drop off and pick up their student. This is a proactive and technologically sound investment for our schoo1. An added bonus for our students and the community at large, this sign would be part of our public address system in an emergency. It will be run on back-up generators." (See Applicant's narrative for more detai1.) 4. PROCESS FACTS a. The subject application will in fact constitute a variance as determined by City Ordinance. By reason of the provisions of the Meridian City Code Title 11, Chapter 5, Article A (Table ll-5A- 1), a public hearing is required before the City Council on this matter. b. Newspaper notifications published on: July 23rd, 2007 and August 6th, 2007 c. Radius notices mailed to properties within 300 feet on: July 20th, 2007 d. Applicant posted notice on site by: July 30th, 2007 5. LAND USE a. Existing Land Use(s): Property is currently an elementary school with school district administrative offices. b. Description of Character of Surrounding Area: Single family residences, residential neighborhoods transitioning to commercial, light office and Old Town. c. Adjacent Land Use and Zoning: 1. North: Frost Addition subdivision, zoned R-4 2. West: Niday's Addition subdivision, zoned R-4 3. South: W. Pine Avenue and Niday's Addition subdivision, zoned R-4 CITY OF MERIDIAN PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT STAFF REPORT FOR HEARING DATE OF AUGUST 14,2007 4. East: N. Meridian Road, Niday's Addition subdivision zoned R-4 and FA Nourses 2nd Addition subdivision zoned O-T History of Previous Actions: This property was rezoned (RZ-06-0l4) from R-4 to O-T in 2007. 6. AGENCY COMMENTS MEETING No agency comment meeting was held specifically for this Variance application. All affected agencies were infonned about this request and given the opportunity to submit comments to the Planning Department to be included in this report. No site specific comments or requirements were provided for the Variance application by other agencies or departments. 7. UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE The following UDC sections are pertinent to this application: 11-3D-7a: Directional or public service information signs. Directional signs shall be no greater than four (4) square feet in area and no more than four feet (4') in height. Ifbusiness identification is used, then it shall be secondary in all aspects to the primary use of these signs for directional purposes as defined. 8. ANALYSIS . a. Analysis of Facts Leading to Staff Recommendation: The applicant is requesting a Variance from UDC ll-3D-7a, which requires that public information signs be no greater than four (4) square feet in area and no more than four feet (4') in height. A permit is not required for a pennanent sign with directional or public service infonnation. The applicant is proposing a LED reader board that would be a public service identification sign for Meridian Elementary School that would be nine (9) feet wide and two (2) feet two (2) inches in height, a total of nineteen (19) square feet, to be located above the main entrance. The applicant agrees with Staff's recommendation to not change the message on the reader board more than once a day so that it will not be an animated sign. After review of the proposed sign, the applicable sections ofthe UDC, and a visit to the site, Staff determines the following: ). The entrance to Meridian Elementary School is off ofW. Pine Avenue and NW First Street. NW First Street dead ends into the school parking lot and the front door of the school. The school is less visible to pedestrians and motorists than typical elementary schools, and the school building is buffered by the playground area and ancillary school office buildings. This sign is solely oriented to parents dropping off children and children arriving in buses. There are no residential homes in close proximity to the front entrance that would be affected by the LED reader board. If the message on the reader board is not changed more than once a day, staff believes it can be constituted as a public service infonnation sign and not an animated sign (UDC II-lA-I). The applicant's justification for the LED reader board sign to be located above the entrance of the school to provide parents and students with public school infonnation is reasonable. ). The UDC allows public service infonnation signs to be up to four (4) feet in height. The proposed sign is two (2) feet two (2) inches high and nine (9) feet wide. The proposed variance to exceed the overall square footage offour (4) feet allowed to nineteen (19) feet is not excessive. In comparison, a wall sign in the 0- T zone may be up to 18% of the wall elevation with a maximum square footage of seventy-five (75) feet (Table ll-3D-1O). To grant a variance the Findings listed in Exhibit B of this report must be made; Staff believes Meridian Elementary School Sign Variance V AR-07-0l4 PAGE 3 CITY OF MERIDIAN PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT STAFF REPORT FOR HEARING DATE OF AUGUST 14,2007 that Findings can be made for approval of the requested variance in this case. b. Summary Recommendation: Staff is recommending approval of the subject Variance application (V AR-07-014), per the Findings listed in Exhibit B of this report. 9. EXHffiITS A. Drawings 1. Site Plan 2. Proposed Public Information Sign B. Required Findings from UDC (Variance) Meridian Elementary School Sign Variance V AR.07.0l4 PAGE 4 CITY OF MERIDIAN PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT STAFF REPORT FOR HEARING DATE OF AUGUST 14,2007 Exhibit A: Drawings 1. Site Plan 18=- mss Strada Bellissima Business Park Sign Variance V AR-07-009 Exhibit A Page 1 CITY OF MERIDIAN PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT STAFF REPORT FOR HEARING DATE OF AUGUST 14,2007 2. Proposed Subdivision Identification Sign ~~ ,-_._--~- ___~~n WIQTHJ~"~leet____" I I I ~"""......- ~........~- ,.,-----.-- ! .....--- __~ ...-1------...... - -.... ......._"""--........ --- ~- ----- ---- ~., "'- i --,- i .1 ~! i - i ! i : ......................READER BOARD HERE ! I ' I READER BOARD HERE...................... ! I I 'I Zi ! , Strada Bellissima Business Park Sign Variance V AR-07-009 Exhibit A Page 2 CITY OF MERIDIAN PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT STAFF REPORT FOR HEARING DATE Of AUGUST 14,2007 Exhibit B: Required Findings from UDC (Variance) The City Council shall apply the standards listed in Idaho Code 67-6516 and all the findings listed in Section 11-5B-4.E of the UDC to review the variance request. In order to grant a variance, the Council shall make the followingfindings: A. The variance shall not grant a right or special privilege that is not otherwise allowed in the district: Staff finds that granting a variance in the location of the proposed public service information sign, would not grant a right or special privilege to the Applicant. Public information signs are allowed without a permit. The proposed sign does not exceed the height limit allowed for public information signs and is small in comparison to the standards for wall signs allowed in the 0- T zone. If the message on the reader board is not changed more than once a day, Staff believes that it can be constituted as a public service information sign and not an animated sign (UDC II-IA- 1). B. The variance relieves an undue hardship because of characteristics of the site; This property is located on NW First Street. The street is offW. Pine Avenue and dead-ends into the school. The school is less visible to pedestrians and motorists than typical elementary schools, and the school building is buffered by the playground area and ancillary school office buildings. This sign is solely oriented to parents dropping off children and children arriving in buses. Staff finds that this does constitute a hardship because of characteristics of the site. C. The variance shall not be detrimental to the public health, safety, and welfare. Staff finds that granting the subject variance would not be detrimental to the public health, safety, or welfare. Strada Bellissima Business Park Sign Variance V AR-07-009 Exhibit B Page 1