Date: March 21, 2019
To: Members of the Planning Commission
From: Scott Tempel, City Planner
Title
Consider Text Amendment for Historic District signage regulations
Body
Action Requested:
The Planning Commission is requested to consider the changes to sign regulations for the Historic District as proposed by the Heritage Preservation Commission.
Summary Report:
The Heritage Preservation Commission (HPC) is responsible for ensuring signs erected in the Historic District meet the standards set forth in the Land Development Code (LDC).
A subcommittee of the HPC reviewed the current signage regulations in the Land Development Code (LDC) and made recommendations to the HPC. The HPC has refined the changes over the past several months and is ready to forward the recommendation to City Council.
The goal of this project is to eliminate ambiguous language and address issues with modern fonts, logos, and other features like phone numbers and websites, which do not mesh well with the historic “Northfield aesthetic.” The suggested changes eliminate subjective words like “should” and “encourage.” They also suggest giving projecting signs more flexibility in design than wall signs.
Financial Impacts:
None.
Tentative Timelines:
The ordinance will be forwarded to City Council in April. The ordinance requires hearings on the first and second reading of the ordinance.