07-08-2002 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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be staged in the proposed east parking lot areas when space is not available in the south parking facilities. No plans for the fence or detailed landscaping plan have been submitted. The fence should completely screen the storage areas and should be of quality materials acceptable to the Council, such as masonry or wood that provide the clean, professional appearance visualized for this area. Retail Uses in the Industrial District In the 1980s Northern Hydraulics, a retailer, had plaimed to move into the industrial park but were not permitted to operate. They had proposed a retail/warehouse operation within the building that is now occupied by Western Steel. Staff had determined the use of the property was retail in nature and WM not allowed. Northern Hydraulics appealed the decision to the City. The Planning Commission and City Council concurred the use as retail is not a permitted use in the district. There is no district in the City of Orono that would allow a car dealership. Automobile dealerships tend to be located in large planned commercial districts where large scale retail establishments are located. Areas such as this do not exist in Orono. The proposed use as presented by the applicants is not a car dealership; however, the City should carefully structure any conditional use permit approvals granted to make it clear that conversion to a retail sales dealership will not be allowed. The Comprehensive Plan encourages a conversion to uses such as light industrial and high tech medical that have a clean, professional appearance and are compatible with the planned office park on the north side of Highway 12, and the plaimed residential development west of Old Crystal Bay Road. The re-use of the WSI property is an opportunity to begin to set the character for the Industrial District in terms of use and appearance. Signage Retail uses rely on advertising signage to attract customers, while wholesaling operations normally will provide signage primarily to identify the site. The signage that is proposed for the site includes a 65 s.f. monument sign to be located at the entrance to the property from Highway 12 (Monies Distribution Center Body Works) and building lettering totaling 117 s.f (Morries Automotive Group). The proposed signage does not suggest that the building is advertising for a retail auto dealership, but rather only identifying the individual user of the facility. The sign lettering is designed to have internal illumination through acrylic letters. This would be the case for the monument sign and building sign. Lighting The individual lighting in the parking lot is proposed to include two 30’ high tw in-head light poles in the east parldng area and five 25 ’ high twin-head light poles to cover the front display areas. The proposed lighting is not consistent with what has generally been approved as part of site plans for properties in the Highway 12 area. The Orono City Hall parking lot has a series of lights that are 14’ #02-2795 WJM Propotlcs LLC - Morries Automotive Croup 2605 West Wayzau Boulevard Page# of 6