4a. Staff report - Sandager Sign Variance
Memorandum
To: Scandia Planning
Commission
Reference: Sandager Sign Variance
Application
Copies To: Brenda Eklund, Clerk
Ken Cammilleri, City
Administrator
Greg and Andrea Sandager,
applicants
Project No.: 17722.000 Sandager Sign Variance
From: Merritt Clapp-Smith,
Planner
Routing:
Date: March 3, 2020
SUBJECT: Sandager Variance for Sign Size
MEETING DATE: March 10, 2020
LOCATION: 20168 St. Croix Tr N, PID 19.032.19.33.0005
APPLICANTS: Greg and Andrea Sandager
ZONING: Agricultural Core (Ag Core)
60-DAY PERIOD: April 18, 2020
ITEMS REVIEWED: Application and Survey received February 18, 2020
DESCRIPTION OF THE REQUEST:
The applicants are seeking to install two business signs for Deep Roots Winery at the entrance
to his new business along Highway 95. Since the signs are to be viewed by drivers passing by at
55 miles per hour, the signs are sized to provide clear visibility at that speeds. Recommended
standards for sign legibility relate the size of signs to the angle and speed of people passing by.
The proposed size of the signs is 200 square feet, which requires a variance from the 10 foot
square foot maximum sign size limit in the Agricultural Core district.
Sandager Variance Staff Report Submitted March 3, 2020
Scandia Planning Commission Page 2 Public Hearing March 10, 2020
PROPERTY INFORMATION
Parcel description: 20168 St. Croix Trail
North is part of the Abrahamson Nursery
property that sits on the west side of
Highway 95. The image to the right has a
red circle at the approximate location of
the proposed business entrance and
signs.
Zoning: The parcel is located in the
Agricultural Core District.
Land use: The portion of the parcel on
the west side of the road is vacant.
Relationship of property to business:
Deep Roots Winery will be located on
parcel ID #24.032.20.44.0002. The
business will have its entrance along
Highway 95, on the 20168 St. Croix Trail
North property that is owned by another
member of the family. The two parties have signed an Access and Use Easement, which
allows access to the Deep Roots Winery property from the parcel along Highway 95. The
proposed business signage would be posted on each side of this entrance.
The images below show a diagram of the entrance gate and signage location along either side
(left image) and the general proportion on the sign relative to the gate (right image).
Sandager Variance Staff Report Submitted March 3, 2020
Scandia Planning Commission Page 3 Public Hearing March 10, 2020
EVALUATION OF VARIANCE REQUEST
Sign Code Requirements
SCANDIA DEVELOPMENT CODE, Chapter 2, Section 3.13 SIGNS
The following standards for signs apply in the Agricultural Core District. The proposed signs are
Deep Roots Winery meet these standards, as well as other applicable sections of the sign
code, with the exception of (5)(A) below, which limits signs to 10 square feet. The proposed
two signs will be up to 200 square feet each.
(5) Signs in Agriculture – Core (AG-C), Agriculture Preserves (AP), General Rural (GR) and Village
Neighborhood (VN) Districts.
(A) The maximum area permitted for a single sign shall be 10 square feet per surface. Up to
three signs that meet this requirement are allowed per parcel.
(B) No sign shall be so constructed as to have more than two (2) surfaces.
(C) Noncommercial signs shall conform to Minnesota Statutes 211B.045.
(D) The top of the display shall not exceed ten (10) feet above grade.
(E) Any sign over two (2) square feet shall be setback at least ten (10) feet from any
property line. In no case shall any part of the sign be closer than two (2) feet to a vertical
line drawn at the property line.
Applicants’ Rationale for the Variance and Discussions with the City
The applicants’ rationale for the variance indicates that:
• The signs will be viewed from people passing in cars at 55 miles per hour, which makes
sign visibility nearly impossible if the sign is only 10 square feet in size.
• The signs would be across the street from the Abrahamson Nursery, which already has a
sign up to 200 square feet. Therefore, the visual impact of larger signage already exists
in the immediate area, and new signs of similar sign would fit in.
Criteria for Variance and Findings
Chapter 1, Section 6.0 of the Development Code includes the criteria and required process for
considering variance requests. Each item to be considered for a variance is identified below
in italics, followed by the Planner’s findings regarding the requested variance for sign size at
20168 Saint Croix Trail North.
• Variances shall only be permitted when they are in harmony with the Comprehensive
Plan and general purposes and intent of the official control.
The Comprehensive Plan states, “The Agricultural Core District is established to protect
and preserve land for long-term agricultural production. Over time, the nature of
agricultural production in Scandia will most likely change from traditional dair y farms to
specialty agriculture and agriculture production for local/metropolitan markets.” The
proposed signage is accessory to supporting a specialty agriculture business, therefore,
Sandager Variance Staff Report Submitted March 3, 2020
Scandia Planning Commission Page 4 Public Hearing March 10, 2020
the proposed signage is in general harmony with the Comprehensive Plan and
Development Code for signs.
• The property owner proposes to use the property in a reasonable manner under the
conditions allowed by official control(s).
Signage is a permitted and therefore reasonable use in the Agricultural Core District.
• The practical difficulties are not caused by the landowner and are unique to the
property.
The practical difficulties are created by the location of the business entrance and
identification signs along Highway 95, a 55 mile per hour roadway. Signs along roadways
are recommended to be sized in accordance with the speed of passersby, to make the
signs readily legible without the driver having to take their eyes off the road for an
unsafe amount of time in order to be able to read the sign. The practical difficulties are
not caused by the current landowner and are unique to the property.
• The variance would not alter the essential character of the area.
The existing business across the street has signage that is around 200 square feet in size,
and the proposed signs would be consistent with that. The existing sign has not created
complaints or issues with people in the area. Granting the variance would not alter the
essential character of the area.
• Economic conditions alone shall not constitute practical difficulties.
The practical difficulties are related to the location of the signs along a highway, where
larger signage is prudent for safe and easy viewing by drivers. The practical difficulties
are not only economic in nature.
• The proposed variance will not impair an adequate supply of light and air to adjacent
property, or substantially increase the congestion of the public streets, or increase the
danger of fire, or endanger the public safety, or substantially diminish or impair property
values within the neighborhood.
Granting the proposed variance for signs up to 200 square feet, attached to fencing, will
not impair the supply of light or air to adjacent properties, increase congestion,
endanger the public, or substantially diminish or impair property values in the
neighborhood.
• The requested variance is the minimum action required to eliminate the practical
difficulty.
The proposed sign size is consistent with the size of signs allowed at other pre-existing
commercial businesses in the area -- Abrahamsons and Crabtrees Country Store. The
recommended size of roadside signs in the transportation industry is not a precise
science. There are recommendations based on a number of factors including road
Sandager Variance Staff Report Submitted March 3, 2020
Scandia Planning Commission Page 5 Public Hearing March 10, 2020
speed, alignment of the road (straight or curved), the angle of the signs to the roadway,
and the color and style of lettering. Based on general recommendations with these
factors in mind, a two hundred square foot sign is appropriate to provide safe legibility
for drivers passing this location, and therefore is the minimum action required to
eliminate the practical difficulty.
• Practical difficulties include, but are not limited to, inadequate access to direct sunlight
for solar energy systems.
The variance is not related to a need for direct sunlight for solar energy systems.
The findings support granting the variance.
ACTION REQUESTED:
The Planning Commission should receive public comments at the hearing on March 10, discuss
the variance request, and can recommend the following:
1. Approval
2. Approval with conditions
3. Denial with findings
4. Table the request
PLANNING STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
The Planner recommends that the Planning Commission recommend approval of the variance
to allow two signs up to 200 square feet in size at the entrance to Deep Roots Winery at 20168
St. Croix Trail North. The following conditions for the variance are recommended:
1. The location of the signs shall be consistent with the plans submitted to the city on
February 18, 2020.
2. The applicants shall submit a sign permit application for the sign when final design and
sizing is determined.
3. The applicants shall pay all fees and escrows associated with this application.