Title
Subject: (Direct Referral) Request by Adams Outdoor Advertising for a major amendment to the Regency Mall Planned Development to erect a billboard at 5200 Durand Avenue. (Res. No. 15-0173)
Recommendation of the City Plan Commission on 9-10-14: That the request be denied for the following reasons:
1. The proposed billboard degrades one of Racine's premier shopping areas by imposing visual clutter.
2. The proposed billboard negatively impacts the degree of visual repose/retreat citizen should be able to anticipate at Prichard Park or at the residences to the south.
3. The billboard's visual impact may adversely affect residential property values in the area.
4. The presence of the billboard will likely impede future development of adjacent lands due to the obstructions of sight lines to buildings and other appropriate building signage allowed in the Regency Mall Planned Development.
5. The installation of the billboard is contrary to the objectives of the Regency Mall Planned Development.
6. The design and height of the billboard does not meet the intentions of the current ordinance which was the ordinance intended to be adopted by the City at the beginning of 2013 as demonstrated by the legislative history even though there were errors in the ordinance adoption process.
7. The location of the billboard in a B-2 district does not meet the intentions the City had in early 2013 to no longer allow billboards in the B-2 district as demonstrated by the legislative history even though there were errors in the ordinance adoption process.
Recommendation of the City Attorney on 4-16-15: That a settlement has been negotiated and to approve subject to the attached agreement in lieu of an appeal.
Fiscal Note: N/A