Cond. Use Permit-Mezpah Churchf
Planning Commission Report
CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT - MIZPAH CHURCH
412 Fifth Avenue North
PLANNING COMMISSION
REPORT NO: CUP87 -9 APRIL 17, 1987
PURPOSE: To review and recommend action on an
application for a Conditional Use Permit to locate a
sign in a lesser setback than required and to exceed
the maximum size requirements.
BACKGROUND:
Name of Applicant: Mizpah United Church of Christ
Address of Property: 412 Fifth Avenue North
Present Zoning: R - 4
Nature of Request: Ordinance allows a 60 square
foot sign for a church with a Conditional Use
Permit and the ordinance requires a Conditional
Use Permit for a lesser setback that required.
Reason for Request: For church identification
The applicant is proposing a new sign approximately 35
square feet with a 10 foot setback from the applicants
property line.
Ordinance 570.47 states applications for other proposed
sign permits involving a lesser setback than that
required by the zoning code may be granted only by and
under a conditional use permit and under conditional
use requirements set forth in the zoning code. The
conditional use permit may be canceled for cause.
The ordinance also states that signs may be permitted
by Conditional Use Permit for public parks and
playgrounds, churches, synagogues, public libraries,
public museums, public art galleries, public and
parochial schools, municipal buildings, golf courses,
'country clubs, community centers, colleges,
universities and private schools, hospitals, and
sanitariums, based on the following design criteria and
other conditions the City Council may require:
No.
CUP87 -9
Page 2
(a) Size: The size shall be proportional to the size
of the facility, need for signage, frontage on
street(s), location, visibility, and development
in the area. The maximum size should not exceed
60 square feet per sign surface with a maximum
area of 120 square feet per single sign.
(b) Height: No free standing sign shall exceed
fifteen feet in height.
(c) Lighting:
(1)lighting shall be indirect or it shall
backlighting
(2)neon lighting, flashing lighting, and /or
rotating lighting signs shall be prohibited.
(d) Design: Signs attached to the building shall be
integrated with the building design and
architecture in terms of materials, colors,
lighting and placement; signs not attached to the
buildings shall be architecturally treated and
coordinated with the principal building by use of
compatible materials and design.
(e) Location: No free standing signs shall be
located less than 25 feet from any street right -
of -way line.
(f) Sign Purpose: The principal purpose of the sign
permitted under this section shall be to identify
the public or institutional use made of the
property.
The applicant currently has existing signs of
approximately 49 square feet located in various
locations in the front yard. All the existing signs
will be removed.
The proposed sign will face in a north /south direction.
This will identify the church for traffic along 5th
Avenue North. The existing sign faces 5th Avenue.
The sign will be mounted on a limestone planter that
matches the existing building. Spot lights will be
mounted in the planter.
The church site abutts an apartment complex to the
north, single family homes to the east and south, and a
parking lot to the west.
The engineering department has reviewed the placement
of the sign, they see no problem with visibility. The
applicant will also be placing a directional sign at
the driveway entrance. The ordinance allows
directional signs under four square feet.
ANALYSIS: Without a Conditional Use Permit, the
applicant is allowed a 12 square foot sign with a
setback of 30 feet. In this case, Mizpah does not feel
a 12 square foot sign would be adequate. The church is
setback approximately 40 feet from the front property
line. If the proposed sign were setback 30 feet, it
would almost abutt the exterior wall of the church and
not be adequately visible to the traffic along 5th
Avenue.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. Grant the Conditional Use Permit for both
size and setback.
2. Grant the Conditional Use Permit for size,
but not setback.
3. Grant the Conditional Use Permit for setback
but not size.
4 Deny the Conditional Use Permit
RECOMMENDATION: I recommend Alternative #1. The
following are suggested Findings of Fact should the
Commission recommend approval:
1. That the church is proportional to the size
of sign that is proposed.
2. That a setback of 10 feet will provide
adequate visibility for traffic as well as
church identification.
Conditions:
1. That all existing signage be removed.
2. That a directional sign be allowed at the
driveway entrance.
Respectfully submitted,
CV rc
Nancy S Anderson
Communi y Development
Analyst
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MIZPAH UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST
Witness Place /Witnessing People
412 Fifth Avenue North • Hopkins, Minnesota 55343 • Phone 612 /935 -5509
City of Hopkins
City Hall
1010 S. First Street
Hopkins, MN 55343
Dear Friends:
April 3, 1987
Mizpah United Church of Christ is planning to install a permanent
sign along Fifth Avenue North and seeks permission for a variance.
This will be an attractive sign, approximately 45 square feet in
area, which will identify our, location with placement in a relative
position to our entrance driveway off Fifth Avenue North. Currently,
our major sign is in the middle of our property and faces the street.
There is no relation whatever to the entrance driveway which causes
numerous people to miss finding us on their first try.
The sign we propose will be two - sided, so that people coming by
automobile from either direction will see it. The only designation
will be MIZPAH United •Church •of Christ, Worshi 'at 10A :M. Also, the
United Church of Christ denominational logo will Fe applied to the
sign.
An attractive stone planter will be constructed to match the lime-
stone facing on our building. Spotlights will be constructed into the
planter itself.
Our wish is for the City's permission to erect this sign between
the present east -most part of our building and Fifth Avenue North, which
will overlap the set -back provision in the City plan. We believe this
variance will not be in any way obstructive to the flow of traffic or
constitute a nuisance. It certainly will not be unsightly. Our present
signage will be removed.
In addition, our idea is to place a small sign at the very edge of
our driveway which will simply designate Entrance so there will be no
question about where to turn in off Fifth Avenue North.
Sincerely,
n F. Roschen, Pastor