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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2010-03-16 PZC MINUTES• • • Plannin g and Zoning Commission Stud y Sess ion or Public Hearin g Case #200 8-04 Land scaping an d #2009 -0 5 Si gn Code March 16 , 2010 Page 1 of4 CITY OF ENGLEWOOD PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING M a rch 16, 2 010 I. CALL TO ORDER [MJ The regular me eting of th e City Planning and Zoning Commission was called to order at 7:03 p .m . in the Community Deve lopment Conference Room of the Englewood Civic Center, Chair Knoth presiding . Present: Absent Staff : Bleile, Roth , KinK W elker, Krieg er, Knoth, Fish, Brick, Calonder Kinton (a lte rnate ) Tricia Langon, Senior Planner Brook Bell , Planner II Nancy Reid , Assistant C ity Attorney II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES March 2, 2010 [!] Roth moved: Welker seconded: TO APPROVE THE MARCH 2, 2010 MINUTES Chair Knoth asked if there were any modifications or corrections . Mr. Brick asked that the comment he made regarding the current notification system for the pub lic hearing be included in the minutes . AYES: NAYS : ABSTAIN : ABSENT: Roth , Welk er, Krieger, Knoth , Fish , King, Brick, Calonder None Bleile None Motion carri ed . Ill . STUDY SESSION LANDSCAPE AMENDMENTS [!] Mr. Bell gave a brief overview of what has been discussed at past meetings. He stated tonight's discussion will center on screening between uses . The Code is c urrently broken into two pieces: 1) width of screening ar ea, which can be as much as 15 or 20 f ee t between certain uses and 2) what goes into that screening area, which the current Code • • • Planning and Zoning Commi ss ion Study Session or Public Hearin g Case #2008-04 Landscaping and #2009-05 Sign Code March 16 , 20 10 Page 2 of 4 bases on square footage. In preparing the proposed screening concepts, we need to adhere to the principles that have directed our efforts so far: 1. Focus on quality of landscape rather than quantity. 2. Locate the screening where it is most effective and visible. 3. Provide flexibility in solutions and encourage a variety in the landscape. 4. Allow property owners to maximize their site as much as possible while still protecting the people off-site. Mr. Bell provided a slide show of examples of screening. The Commissioners viewed the slide show and commented on each. Mr. Bell stated some of the issu es that have been brought to Staff's attention are: 1. Sight distance. 2. Fence requirements become pallet for graffiti. 3. The landscaped part of the screening has to be on the back of the fence (non- business side), which make it's difficult for the proper~y owner to maintain . Slides were divided into properties with alleys and properties without alleys . Properties without alleys tend to be somewhat bigger and as such can support more screening . Discussion ensued . Discussion points included: 1. Provide adequate space around trees to allow them to grow yet not intrude into neighboring properties. 2. Why is a fence required on both the residential and commercial side ? Mr. Bell noted Staff is working on making it so you don't have to. 3. Business screening between them and a non-conforming use. If an owner builds a zero lot line building they do not have to screen on their site. 4 . Concern was expressed for landscaping along alleys th at is allowed to become overgrown and protrude into the alley. 5. Biggest issues are noise and lights. 6. Concern for requiring screening between business es located next to a non- co nforming use . 7. Concern for the use of deciduous trees as screening . Mr. Bell said Staff is trying to make the Code realistic in terms of maintenance, in terms of set-backs and trying to me et other goals. The lands cape amendment discussion will continue in April. ... • • • Pl anni ng and Zonin g Commi ss ion Study Session or Publi c Hearing Case #2 008-04 Landscaping and #2009-05 Sign Code M arch 16 , 2010 P age 3 of 4 SIGN CODE AMENDMENTS ~ Ms. Langon reviewed what was discussed at the last sign code amendments meeting. She referenced the Table of A llowed Signs provided in the meeting packet. She stated there is a second table, Sign Specific Regulations, and said in working on that over the past week, Ms. Reid, Director White and she sat in on a conference call /seminar on legal issues regarding signs. Because of that seminar Staff has identified a number of areas in the Code that may present some legal concerns . As a result, she noted she did not comp lete the Sign Sp ecific Regulations table for tonight's discussion. She noted many communities are struggling with the same issues . Ms. Langon stated she wanted to discuss types of signs that are on buildings. In the Table of Allowed Uses the current Code states the maximum area of any one sign can be no more than 100 square feet. At this time, Ms. Langon said she would recommend keeping that and as the Commission gets further on the Commission may entertain the idea of increasing that number. The maximum square footage of signage a business is allowed to have is determined by their frontage. Everyone is guaranteed a minimum of 80 square feet. Mr. Bleile asked Ms. Langon what she needed from the Commission right now. She stated she is currently at a standstill until Staff addresses some issues. She revisited canopy, mansard roof, suspended and projecting signs. After the April 6 1 " Public Hearing, Ms . Reid and Ms. Langon will discuss some of the legal issues Staff has identified. IV. PUBLIC FORUM ~ Th e re was no public present. V. DIRECTOR'S CHOICE ~ Director White was not present. VI. STAFF'S CHOICE l?l1 Upcoming meeting schedule: April 6 : April 20: VII. ATTORNEY'S CHOICE (llJ Ms. Reid had nothing further to report. Public Hearing: Buy-back, Second hand, Thrift and Consignment uses in MU-B-1 Legal Issue Discussion relating to signs Sign Code and Landscape Amendments • • • Planning and Zoning Commission Study Session or Public Hearing Case #2 008-04 Landscaping and #2 009-05 Sign Code March 16, 2010 Page 4 of 4 VIII. COMMISSIONER'S CHOICE ltlJ Mr. Welker said he is not at the meetings to convince the other Commissioners to believe what he believes, but tries to get everyone to think about the issu es he brings up . Mr. Bleile said Mr. Welker definitely gets the Commissioners to thinking. Mr. Fish thanked Mr. Roth for voicing his thoughts. (Secretary's Note: Mr. Roth circulated a lette r to the Commission rega rdin g last meeting's discussion on Buy-back, Second Hand, Thrift and Consignm ent uses in MU-B-1 .) Th e m ee ting adjourned at 8:52 p.m. Barbara Krecklow, Rec rding Secretary