Loading...
1c West Village Center/Phase 2 CITY OF CHANHASSEN CityCmterDrive, POBox 147 hanhassm, Minnesom55317 Phone 612.9311900 Gener.1 Fax 612.937.5739 Igineering Fax 612.937.9152 blic Safety Fax 612.934.2524 ~b www.cÎ.chanhtlJsen.mn.us ..:iC!.. , { } f " if MEMORANDUM TO: Scott Botcher, City Manager FROM: Bob Generous, Senior Planner DATE: September 20, 2000 SUBJ: Approval of Monument Sign and Public Realm Improvement PROPOSAL SUMMARY The applicant is proposing a monument sign at the comer of West 78th Street and Powers Boulevard. The monument sign will be located in the southwest comer of the property, 10 feet in from the west property line and approximately 16Y2 feet from West 78th Street. In addition, the applicant is providing a small pedestrian . plaza and bench as a public realm improvement. The proposed sign complies with City of Chanhassen ordinance. The sign is proposed for City Council review on September 25, 2000. BACKGROUND On March 27, 2000, the City Council approved Site Plan #97-6, plans prepared by James R. Hill, Inc., dated 1128/00, for two one-story retail buildings. Building A, located on Lot I, is a 23,607 square foot building to be occupied by Office Max. Building B, on Lot 2, is a 7,800 square foot multi-tenant building. The fInal condition of approval was that the applicant work with city staff to create the entrance design for this location, which may include the granting of an easement to locate a city monument on the site. The proposed design must be submitted to City Council for approval. On March 10, 1997, the City Council approved the preliminary and fInal plat for West Village Heights 3rd Addition replatting the Second Addition. At the same meeting, the Council also approved Site Plan #96-7 for 26,786 square feet of commercial development for three buildings and Conditional Use Permit # 96-2 to permit more than one building on a lot for West Village Center Phase II. The site plan was not built. DISCUSSION As part of the original submittal, the applicant showed a double faced monument sign on the comer. This sign has been eliminated and replaced by a sign that complies with city code. Staff continued to work with the applicant regarding the signage, and public space improvements in the southwest comer of the site. City of Chanhassen. A KrowinK comm!lnity with clean lakes, q!lality schoo/;, a charrnin~ dowl1town, thrivinK businesses, and bea!ltifi¡! þOlks. A ~1rat plnee to lit'e, work, and þla~ West Village Center II Plaza September 13, 2000 Page 2 . However, we did not complete a fInal design for this area prior to the City Council meeting. Since the site plan approval, staff has worked with the applicant to develop a public realm improvement for this area. The staff and the applicant agreed upon was the creation of a small plaza area, which would include a bench and some plantings. On the bench will be a simple sign: Chanhassen, Minnesota. This plaza was to be immediately adjacent to the sidewalk, but on the applicant's property and not within the right-of-way. This plaza area is approximately 120 square feet and is bounded on the east by a 10\1, foot long bench, by a planting bed on the north, and by low lying shrubs on the west. Staff recommends that the most northerly three pavers be relocated to the southeast comer of the plaza, extending the plaza to the southwest, fIll this vacated area with flowers, and creating additional separation ITom the sign. Though not shown on the plans, a boulevard tree is located just to the east of this site, providing a shaded resting area. This area will function as a pocket park. They provide a respite ITom the street and 'an opportunity to recall the larger landscape and build on the built environment ofChanhassen. As an informal gathering place, it will serve as a quiet area for meeting mends, having lunch or simply a resting between destinations. (From Chanhassen Vision 2002) PLANNING COMMISSION UPDATE .. The Planning Commission held a hearing on September 19,2000, to review the proposed sign and plaza improvements. The Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend approval of the sign, plaza and bench with the relocation of the cement pavers and the inclusion offIowers. While the Planning Commission felt that this was a "nice solution" to the public realm improvement and they liked the "public space," there was some concern that the City of Chanhassen address the issue of welcoming on the western end of the downtown. They did not believe that it was the burden of the property owner to resolve this. The east end of downtown has the clock tower and sign. They believe that the City needs to also create a statement on the west end of the downtown. RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends that the City Council approve the sign, plaza, and bench with the relocation of the cement pavers and the inclusion of flowers at the north end of the plaza. West Village Center II Plaza September 13, 2000 Page 3 ATTACHMENTS 1. Letter ITom Tony Oxborough to Bob Generous dated 9/13/00 2. Reduced Sign Plan 3. Monument Sign Plan 4. Monument Sign Elevation 5. Monument Building Elevation g:\plan\bg\west village center ii plaza. doc .-.., ~S7 dEs September 13, 2000 Mr. Bob Generous City ofChanhassen 690 Coulter Drive Chanhassen, MN 55317 Re: West Village Center 11 Monument Plan Review Application Dear Bob: Enclosed please find the most recent Monument design for the above-referenced location. As you are aware, the T. F. James Company has received a site plan permit for the OfficeMax and retail development located at the intersection of West 78th and' Powers Blvd (Site Plan Permit #96-7). Pursuant to that agreement we are required to present a final Monument design for the City Council to review. You will notice the final design includes only a single, double faced Monument sign perpendicular to County Road 17. Originally we had anticipated an "L" shaped sign structure with signage facing due West and South. However, once we began construction we discovered numerous constraints on the exact placement of the sign: underground utility easements, setbacks ITom property lines, sightline setbacks, sidewalk locations, etc. Another ml\ior concern relates to the visibility and legibility on the sign itself; there are several large metal boxes containing telephone, signal light equipment, and utility equipment located on the public right-of-ways of both Powers Blvd. and West 78th Street obstructing views of any signs that might be placed behind them. Therefore, we have elected to propose a single, double-faced sign for this development. To the best of my knowledge, it meets the existing codes and ordinances. We have also included a bench area with plantings and a concrete plaza. At one time there was discussion regarding the granting of an Easement to the City for this area, but I don't know where we are with that item. Please advise. It is the intention of the T.F. James Company to work with the City of Chanhassen to create an entrance feature at this location and we are prepared to do everything reasonably possible to find a mutually agreeable position. Bob, thank you for your assistance and please call if you have any questions or comments. 1. F. James Company P.O. Box 560 Excelsior, Minnesota 55331 (952) 401-6600 Fax: (952) 401-7058 REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT ¡liPU II ~. ! ., is Ii ¡ I .. 5 ~ ~~ ¡~ ... a sE .. £;~; Bill II n ~ liP n -I nl ,j 1f1't . . . . I ;ª J , ì~ u ") ! E ~ ~ : ~ } " I-I .ip I~I I b! ¡p ill s!· ~n . .. i " ::: ~." ( ~ ~ - ~~ 0 Ilì IIì ...¡ "·iI in in ( ( i i , , I ì;IU " if . 'Ih I II I" f t ill'iil'!'ilii ¡' !'~!JI'ih i~"i'I¡II'!i ~ U ¡iei¡ -i, . It- ';t :::I 50.! -", ';u '" , .. I ¡q WEST VIlLAGE CENTER PHASE TWO -- PAVlNC " DOŒNSIONAL PLAN ~ T.r. ¡AIlES co. __ .'1...._ DIOI"-'''- .-::::..-:.:-- æ:"æ"æ" ::::-::.::.-..- I) James R. HI, ; ",""",I_I"'''''''' ; ...e................... =m fIOI:~_~ -- ,."